Solve For X
by CeceAndrews
Summary: Robin has a new enemy. X isn't your average thief, nor is X your average hero. No one knows where X came from. No one knows who X is. X is the mystery that no one knows the answer to and it's up to a group of masked teens to find out. (Season 1 characters.) Rated T – mostly for language. Story includes OC.
1. The Final Heist

_**Author's Note/ Hello. Thank you for taking the time to click on my story. One thing you should know before I start is that I don't like Author's Notes as much some people so, this will probably be the biggest chunk of an AN that this story will ever have. So here I go, quick as a flash (casually inserting Flash pun here). This is an OC story but with lots of interaction from canon characters. This story is set at the same time as Season 1 however, doesn't follow the plot closely. I'll be updating once a week, every Saturday and I illustrate my story (the pictures will be on my deviantart account soon so look out for page links at the end of chapters.) And finally, and I will only say this once, I do not own Young Justice (just my own OCs).**_

'_**Rate and Review', please. Enjoy. **_

**Chapter 1 -The Final Heist**

Saturday, 7th November 2010

Gotham Museum of Antiquities 

03:02

The Security Room was the only room in the whole of the Gotham Museum with the lights on and the snoring security guard was the sole proof of life in the building, all the other employees having gone home on this cold November night. One of the black and white screens before him flickered as the images changed. Something new appeared on one of the screens. A small shadow.

The shadow had a certain grace about it, almost gliding as it moved swiftly and silently through the corridors of the museum. It stopped, noticing the light at the end of the dark corridor of the East Wing and peered into the room which was the source. The security guard still remained in deep sleep. Creeping into the room, it was obvious why the figure melted so effectively into the dark. It was covered in black fabric. Hooded and masked, with only a small portion of flesh of their nose, cheeks and mouth peeping through. The uniform resembled that of a ninja's with the slight modification of a dark blue belt.

The ninja turned to the snoring man in the room with an endeared tilt of the head and a small, but slightly crooning smile. Then, turning back to the screens, it quietly tapped commands into the computer. Images from just a few moments ago in different areas of the museum appeared on the screens. The ninja gave itself a smug smirk. Even on camera it could barely be seen within the shadows. Still, all evidence was bad for you. Best flush it immediately. With a final tap of a red button, all the clips were erased and the screens went blank. The cameras and alarms were now off.

The ninja turned on its heel about to leave, when it looked back at the guard guiltily. Then with an air of self-annoyance, reached into the pouch on their belt and took out a sweet smelling rag, putting it on the desk beside his feet. With a nod, they then dashed out of the room, disappearing back into the dark corridors.

Finally reaching its destination, a room on the Far-East side of the museum, it entered, cautiously looking around. The main exhibit, a large lime green diamond called the Jaguar Eye, had graced Gotham with its presence for almost a week and now it was time for its brisk departure. It lay in a small glass cube atop a pedestal in the centre of the room, which had been squared off by red rope barriers. Ignoring them, the ninja hopped over and retrieved a paperclip from a pouch at its belt. Within seconds, the glass box's lock gave a tiny yet satisfying click and the intruder carefully lifted it off its stand onto the floor. It reached for the diamond but paused suddenly, gloved fingers centimetres away from the smooth, green surface. The intruder turned, looking directly into the darkest corner of the room, eyebrow raised.

"So, exactly _how_ long were you going to stand there before jumping out and stopping me?" she directed into the darkness. "No, wait. _Attempting_ to stop me."

From shadows of the darkest corner of the room, emerged a boy of around her age, eyes masked in a manner similar to her own. He wore black gloves and black boots, along with a matching cape. Her eyes flitted quickly to the red "R" on his chest, confirming what she already knew. Robin approached her, wearing a smug smile.

"I was wondering when you'd notice," he smirked, stopping only a meter away.

"I'm a busy girl, so let's make this quick, 'kay Wonder Boy? You going to attempt to arrest me or what?" She too smiled, enjoying their little game while it lasted. She stepped closer, ready to get into her fighting stance in an instant. They'd be at each other's throats in minutes. She let the small dagger hidden in her sleeve slide into her hand, unnoticed. The touch of the cool blade calmed her.

"You know me so well, X" he said, the roll of his eyes obvious despite the mask that covered them. "Except, it won't be just an attempt."

"Oh,_ please_. That's what you say every time we meet. And you always end up on your ass in the end," she scoffed.

"Ah, but I got close _last_ time, didn't I?" he nodded towards her arm as though seeing the bandage under her sleeve. She tried not to let that intimidate her. Instead, she raised an eyebrow, a knowing look appearing on her face.

"Ah, but you can't be farther _this_ time," she mimicked his tone, mocking him.

"Now you're just annoying me," he smirked, folding his arms and leaning back against the wall.

"Well then, let me put you out of your misery."

Just as the words left her mouth, her dagger left her hand and flew with the speed of a bullet at Robin's face. He however, dodged with the greatest ease, completely unfazed by the attempt on his life. X smiled, looking at him with a newfound interest. But then, she hadn't really expected him to die that quickly, anyway.

"A dagger? Seriously? Very predictable, I have to say. You've used that knife throwing scenario every time we've met," he said, watching her sceptically.

"Not everyone has a Bat to buy us a new toy every week."

He shrugged off her accusation, nonchalantly.

"Don't you have to be somewhere? We've never had a conversation that lasted this long before,"

"I've got time to play. Now that you've made it interesting, I wanna see how this goes." Her smile widened, exposing a white toothy grin.

"Is that something to make me feel optimistic about my win?"

"Is the reason you're asking because your self-confidence is wavering?"

"Hardly. I just wanted to know how you see your chances of winning."

"Have to say, they look pretty good, Wonder Boy. You?"

"Couldn't ask for better odds."

"I assume that's supposed to make me feel intimidated?"

"Yes, it is."

"Talk's cheap, Rob. And you _know_ I'm not going down without a spectacular, amazing, heart stopping fight."

"You know, X, it's bad that you don't know when to quit. You could get seriously injured after all. With every fight I learn more of your tricks. Face it. You're losing your edge. If you surrender now you'll save yourself the pain of defeat."

They were circling each other now. The playful tone of their conversation was fading and fading fast. She shook her head slightly and grinned.

"I will _never _know when to quit. And seeing as I've "lost my edge", as you put it, I suppose this won't come as much of a surprise then,"

Immediately, she dropped three small pellets onto the ground.

"Remember, Robin, I have a Bat of my own."

They let out a loud hissing noise, a thick black smoke emanating from them. She held her breath as she slid away putting as much distance between them as she could. Creeping towards the pedestal, she looked back and saw Robin still coughing in the thick cloud of smoke. She turned and ran to the diamond. She jumped the steps but even before her feet touched the ground she felt a rope snake around her ankles and pull her legs out from underneath her, making her fall onto her stomach with a grunt, her chin crashing onto the hard marble floor. She sat up, blinking away the pain in her jaw and tore the rope, freeing her ankles. Outraged she jumped up to face him.

"You're gonna regret that, Bird Brain," she threatened, glaring.

He, however, just continued to smirk in the same infuriating way. She knew better than to let her temper get the better of her but he was just so… So –_ugh_! He blocked her attack at his throat but wasn't so lucky in dodging her knee as it got him in groin. That was low, even for her. He yelped, blinking back the agonizing pain that began to well in his eyes.

"That's it! No more Mr Nice Guy," he muttered before forcefully, grabbing her arms and pinning them behind her back.

In the midst of their fight, X's bandage had unravelled from around her arm. Now the twisting had caused her wound to open and bleed once again, making her wince. She bit down on her lip hard to stop from crying out. Then she laughed hoarsely through the pain, turning her head towards him.

"What? No punching or kicking? This dodge and prevail crap isn't like you. You were holding back." she said as-a-matter-of-factly.

This made him laugh, even if smugly. "I guess after our last encounter, I promised myself I wouldn't hit girls,"

There was a small pause, where an expression of feminist indignation washed over her face before it disappeared and she smiled back, mischievously.

"Really? That's good to know, Wonder Boy! Unfortunately for _you_, I never made that promise," she said, before throwing her head back forcefully.

The back of her head made contact with his nose. He stumbled backwards with a yelp, his grip on her loosening. Using that to her advantage, she broke out of his grasp and took his legs out from underneath him, causing him to fall onto his back. She backed away from him quickly. Blood was now pouring profusely from his nose, which made her feel almost guilty for what she had done. _Almost_. It was his own fault for man-handling her.

Despite a redder replica of the Nile River running down his face, he got back onto his feet. X couldn't help but feel impressed.

"You're a determined, little Birdy; I'll give you that," she said, hiding the awe in her voice.

"It's what I do," he replied, unsuccessfully trying to wipe some of the blood off onto his sleeve and making her nose wrinkle in disgust.

"I don't think you're in any condition to fight," she pointed out helpfully.

"Don't think you are either," he replied by nodding back at her own wound which, now having opened, made her deep blue sleeve darken with red.

"Touché, Wonder Boy. Touché," she nodded, before straightening up. "Well, this has been fun. But, I think we can call it evens now." She was now walking casually towards the pedestal, his eyes following her movements warily. She paused at the diamond again. "I mean, we're busy people so, how about I just take what I came for and we can both call it a night?"

She reached out, about to grab it when something flew passed her ear, missing her skin by inches. It landed on the wall opposite and X realized it was one of his ninja stars. She looked back, grinning as she saw him standing poised with more shuriken in hand, ready to throw again.

"Well it didn't take you long to break _that_ promise," she chuckled. "I take it your answer is no?"

"Sorry, but that's not how I work," he said, glaring which only made her grin widen.

"Well then, I hope you realize that you brought this on yourself," she murmured darkly, before jumping at him. She aimed a sharp kick to the stomach but he dodged, dropping a few of his bombs at her feet. She avoided them with ease, moving away in an impressive acrobatics display as each one exploded.

She ran at him again, this time allowing him to attack first. His arm extended as she dodged his fist and then at top speed jabbed sharply at it. He yelped as he lost feeling in his right arm, which fell limply to his side. Angrily he aimed a kick at her stomach which she didn't have time to block. She gasped as the air was knocked out of her. Stumbled backwards she was just able to duck as he made for another punch at her face. She did the same to his left arm as she had done with his right, quickly hitting the pressure points with deadly precision. Then, aiming a kick at his knees, she made him fall to the floor, defeated.

"Sorry I had to do that. You left me no choice." She sat him upright against the wall and took out a tissue from her pocket. She put it in his hand and wrapped his limp fingers around it. He merely continued to glare at her. But having seen his expression, all she did was laugh.

"You might want to put some ice on that," she suggested. "Don't worry. You'll regain feeling in your limbs in ten to fifteen minutes… As always," she added, smugly.

She moved to the diamond, opening her rucksack.

"X!"

She turned to look back at the bloody mess of a Boy Wonder. He was shooting daggers with his gaze, as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"If you take that… I swear I'll-"

"You'll _what_?" It was her turn to glare. "Sic Bats and Commissioner Moustache on me? Practically slice my arm in half with your boomerang-thingies?"

X waved her bleeding arm, ignoring the sharp pain. She may have imagined it but she thought she saw an almost guilty look pass across Robin's face, albeit only for a moment before it went back to looking very, _very_ pissed off.

"Sorry, Wonder Boy, but I've seen it all! You have nothing to threaten me with!"

She picked up the diamond, and placed it carefully into her bag. Then she stepped off the pedestal and headed to the door.

"See ya, Wonder Boy. It's been real!" she called before leaving him alone in the dark room of the museum.

"So not feeling the aster," he muttered, spitting blood onto the floor. Batman was not going to be impressed.

• • • • •

Saturday, 7th November 2010

Sorelli Building

03:57 

Lanzo Sorelli was sitting in his office... Fifty storeys from the ground with every door manned by slightly shorter versions of the Hulk. How this little vixen managed to get in unseen remained a mystery to him. In retrospect, that was exactly why he had hired her. Some said she was a better thief than Catwoman. He couldn't help but agree. Cheaper too. That is, if Catwoman ever decided to steal for hire. Either way, he was getting what he wanted.

She burst in through the doors with a flourish, letting the light from the corridor pour into the dim room. He would have been surprised, if he hadn't heard the slight yelps and soft thuds from his body guards outside. It was always very odd to think a young girl taking out men five times her size and coming out of it unscathed.

Her hood was down, and black hair tied up into a windswept ballerina bun. She carried her backpack proudly as she strolled over to the seat opposite his desk. She flung the bag onto his desk, plonked herself down onto the seat and propped her feet up onto the table. She smiled smugly, her playful, masked gaze not leaving him for a moment, waiting expectantly for him to begin talking.

"You always gotta do that, X?" the crime lord said in an exasperated tone, gesturing towards the unconscious guards.

"Just proving how useless they are. You really need better protection, Sorelli. What would people say if they find out a girl could beat your body guards up?" she smirked.

"Ah, but you and I both know, you're no ordinary little girl, X."

She shrugged, frowning. "I don't recall using either of the words "ordinary" or "little" to describe myself, Sorelli, "she replied in a slightly irritated tone.

Sorelli's eyebrows rose. He was a dangerous man. Whoever was bold enough to test that fact was either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave. This girl could have been both. Or neither. Who knew? X couldn't be much over the age of thirteen and yet she was capable of so much. Incapacitating bodyguards over twice her size, for one. Stealing the diamond from the Gotham Museum of Antiquities for another. Obviously children like her weren't unheard of: Aqualad, Kid Flash, Speedy and that goddamn Robin, were all part of the game. What made her special was that she was playing for the other team. Their team. His team.

"You're gettin' over your head, girly. Too proud for your own good. _That_ needs to be fixed." He opened his jacket, casually revealing the small silver gun sticking out of his inner pocket. He put it onto the desk with a _thunk._

"You're not going to kill me, Sorelli. You're full of empty threats," X replied coolly. She was the Girl Without Fear... She could face this guy.

"I didn't get to the top making empty threats."

He gestured towards the wall farthest from them, in front of which stood a long glass cabinet.

"So _that's _the infamous collection," she said coolly. She then raised a derisive eyebrow at the gun before casually turning her back on it and walking over to the cabinet, peering inside as though in a gallery.

"I'm surprised you just noticed it."

"Of course I've noticed it. I'm just always in too much of a hurry to think of a polite way to ask about it," she replied, not tearing her eyes away from the objects inside.

None were of great value… In fact most were fairly ordinary - if not slightly shabby - items. A slightly dusty white handkerchief, a scuffed watch, a small red woman's glove without a pair, two hats (an emerald green fedora and a black and gold Gotham Knights baseball cap), a tiny brown leather backed day planner, a yellow necktie, a yellowing chain with dog tags… In fact the only item that could be classed as somewhat valuable was a ring. The most delicate ring possible, only to fit the nimblest of fingers. Encrusted with three small crystals, it sparkled under the lights.

"That Eleanor's?" she indicated the ring, not even sparing him a glance. She knew the answer… She just wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to hear even the slightest twinge of guilt or regret in his voice. There was a pause before he answered her.

"Yes."

It took all of X's self-restraint not to punch him there and then._ The bastard sounded so smug._ Still, she remained in her position, arms firmly at her sides, hands balled up into fists. _No, not here. Not now._ She breathed out and let her shoulders relax, she turned to the man, a bitter smile etched onto her mouth.

"How do you know that?" he questioned, watching her carefully.

"I do my homework, Sorelli. It's obvious to everyone who killed her. You covered it up pretty well. No matter how much they wanted to, the police couldn't find the evidence to send your murdering ass to jail."

He gave out a loud laugh, leaning back into his huge black leather chair.

"Impressive, X. But I'm fully certain that you have got nothing on me. They didn't get it then and they won't get it now. And besides, who'll believe the petty museum thief who just went to so much trouble to steal me the Jaguar Eye Diamond? You don't have _anyone_. All you have is this job,"

"So you'll understand why I'm kind of on a tight schedule," she replied, regaining her usual brisk tone. "Places to go, people to see, stuff to steal and this is already cutting into my eight hours." She wiggled the fingers of her outstretched, hand. "So, if you don't mind, I'll just be taking the money you owe me."

"Not until I see the diamond, Doll Face" Sorelli replied.

"You can bet your sweet beard it's in there, Genius," she pointed at the backpack, her own attention quickly returning to the cabinet.

Sorelli, stroking his beard thoughtfully, opened a desk drawer and took out a pair of black gloves. Putting them on, he opened the bag and gazed hungrily inside, the diamond reflecting lime green back into his black eyes. He took it out carefully, raising it above his head. For a long moment he examined it and then he brought it to his lips and kissed it, laughing manically.

"You want a moment alone with it, Beard-Boy?" X snapped, her voice now lined with impatience. Snapping out of his daydream, Sorelli put the diamond on his desk and took out his briefcase.

"Well, X, I'm an honest man," he said, earning a derisive snort from the girl. He continued with gritted teeth, "And since you held up your end of the bargain, I'm holding up mine. As agreed," he finished, taking out a thick wad of fifty dollar bills. He handed it over along with her backpack and, after a quick inspection, X shoved the money back into the bag. She got up.

"I look forward to working with you again in future," Sorelli said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cut the crap, Sorelli. This was the last time you and I ever do business together," X replied, walking to the door

"That's what you said on our previous "last encounter"," he replied, slyly. She shrugged, pulling her hood up, at the door now.

"Well this time, it's for certain. From this day on, forget I ever existed and I will reciprocate. I never want you back in my life again."

"Oh, Doll Face," he said in mock disappointment. "You break my heart! And I thought we were good friends."

"Not on your life. If I could have helped it, I never would have come to you in the first place."

"Ah, but you did." He leaned closer. "But I don't see where the shame in that is. You gotta admit I'm pretty lenient with you. Most others ain't so lucky." He waved the gun in direction of the cabinet.

"You're a sick, conniving bastard, Sorelli," X spat.

"And you're a proud little cow who's strayed too far from the herd. Truth be told, I think that sweet little mask of yours would look pretty good in there..." Sorelli gestured again to the cabinet. "Didn't your parents ever teach you to respect your elders?"

There was a pause in which X studied him for a long moment.

"They did. But quite frankly, you don't deserve it."

"I'm sorry to hear that… I think you completely deserve this." Without further warning, he raised his gun and shot. However, as he pulled the trigger, X disappeared in a thick cloud of smoke. The room filled with the fog, spreading around so much that Sorelli could no longer see the desk in front of him let alone the girl. Suddenly, he heard a soft voice in his ear, which made him jump.

"The smoke bombs work really well, by the way. They've proven useful… Word of advice though - don't give weapons to the people you're trying to kill"

He shot blindly into the smoke, trying to hit the source of the sound, the murderous animal that he usually concealed so well was beginning to show through with growing frustration.

A laugh and a "Ciao, asshole," was the last thing he heard before realizing that he was now the only one in the room. He sat down back into his seat as the smoke began to clear, rubbing his forehead. He looked at his desk, the frames and pens all there. The black briefcase in the centre. He stared at it for a moment before slowly clicking the locks either side. He opened and looked in. There was a moments silence before his eyes sparked fire and he let out an angry roar, jumping onto his feet. Reaching frantically over to the intercom, he jabbed the buttons forcefully, cursing at the assistant who picked up almost immediately.

"Sir?" the woman's neutral, emotionless voice sounded through the speakers.

"I want replacements for my bodyguards now. I want every other guy we got to go out and search for her, dig up Gotham City if you have to, but I want that girls head on a platter! Nobody sleeps until I get what I want!" he screamed into the microphone.

"Yes, sir" Her voice remained unchanged as the call was disconnected.

He turned to the huge windows behind him, searching the streets below for any sign of a shadow belonging to X. He knew deep down he wouldn't find her tonight, but when he did… He would make her suffer.

"Nobody plays Sorelli, kid. You're gonna regret the day you were born."


	2. Keylee

**Chapter 2 - Keylee**

"_Daddy! Daddy! Please don't leave us, Daddy!"_

_He wouldn't listen. He wouldn't listen to his own little girl's cries. He simply walked out the door, suitcase in hand, going down the driveway of the house that had been new only a year ago. Now it seemed old and gnarled, tainted with memories of anger, tears and hatred. He opened the taxi door, but she grabbed his leg, clinging on. Cheeks lined with tear tracks, nose running and her little mouth open as she wailed._

"_D-Don't leave! Please! Mommy loves you! I love you!"_

"_Jessica, get off," his expression cold and his voice even more so. Numb. Unloving. He shook her, but she held on, vowing to herself that she would never let go._

"_Don't go, Daddy! Please! We're a- a family!"_

"_Not anymore," he gave her a harder shake, making his daughter fall backwards onto the grass. And with that, he got into the taxi. In her desperation, she ran up to the car window, screaming, crying and begging. Her little fists pounded on the glass. But the taxi was already driving away. She chased it, yelling, but her feet felt heavy and her knees kept locking, making her stumble and trip. She chased the taxi until it had disappeared over the horizon. Until she couldn't chase it any more._

_She curled up into a ball right there in the middle of the road and sobbed. _

_Daddy was gone. _

• • • • •

Newtown, Gotham City

Saturday, 7th November 2010

05:53

The streets of Newtown were surprisingly quiet that night. The residents were all in their homes, enjoying a peaceful sleep, one that remained undisturbed by the usual screams, gunshots and sirens. It was a good change. For _them_. X, on the other hand, couldn't help but grumble bitterly as she hoisted herself up to her bedroom window. The one time she could've had a peaceful night, and she had to be out all through it.

She opened her window, and crept inside. She ripped off her mask, flinging it onto the floor as she stumbled towards her closet. Taking out a large laundry bag from the back, she dropped in the cash wads she had earned, noting the satisfying rustling noise the bag now made every time she held it. Restoring the slightly fuller sack of money to its former place at the back of her closet, underneath an old blanket, she then threw herself onto her bed. Her eyes closed as soon as her head hit the pillow. The relief she felt was instant. She hadn't even realized just how exhausted she was until she had finally let herself rest. She allowed her tense muscles to relax. Her breathing calmed and every breath became slower and deeper. Her body was on a cloud, drifting comfortably in mid-air. She could just stay like this forever…

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_ _BEEP! BEEP!_

Her eyes snapped open, shooting daggers at her alarm clock. The digits on its screen were flashing 06:00 AM. In a sudden burst of rage, she buried her face into her pillow, muffling the screamed profanities directed at the clock. She slammed her hand onto the snooze button, but it seemed the clock had adapted to this kind of abuse, because it simply continued screeching.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! _It shrieked in a more determined tone, almost mocking her.

X didn't like to be mocked…

• • • • •

Tony Hartwell, just as sunrays streamed into his room, hopped out of bed, bright and beaming. He practically skipped to the bathroom, combing his thinning hair and slicking it back with a healthy amount of hair gel. Then humming the American Dad theme song, he skidded on the floorboards of the apartment in his mismatched socks, sliding into the kitchen and grabbing a packet of his favourite coffee and his favourite mug in time with the tune.

A very loud crash from his niece's bedroom could only mean that it was a bad day to be an alarm clock. Or the wall opposite it. The persistent beeping had finally been silenced which made Tony chuckle good-heartedly, continuing his song. He heard her shuffle in behind him. He spun around and pointed at her with a teaspoon.

"Oh boy, it's swell to say…" He sang, waiting for her to finish the line. She yawned, eventually muttering unenthusiastically: "Good morning, USA."

"How very patriotic of you," he laughed, as she plopped down into a chair at the small round table in the centre of the kitchen. "I mean, hold your horses, Keylls, you don't want to seem _too _keen."

"It's Keylee, Tony." She yawned again. "And, I'll try and be happier. I mean, it's not every day my favourite uncle turns thirty-four. Happy Birthday." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek.

"Yeah, right. I'm your _only_ uncle," he laughed.

"All the more reason to be happy."

"Well then, thanks. But are you sure you're okay? You look terrible." Her hair was sticking up at the back and her bathrobe hung on her small shoulders a lot more today as she slouched. He noted the dark circles under her eyes.

"What every teenage girl dreams of hearing. And anyway, I'm fine. I just didn't get much sleep last night," she replied honestly.

"Really, Keylls? When I checked in on you last night, you were sleeping like the dead,"

His niece gave him a small smile. The pillows she stuffed under her covers last night had done their job well.

"Key_Iee_," she repeated. "And I guess I just had a bad dream,"

"Y'wanna talk about it?"

"Can't remember it, can I?"

"Oh. Well, I guess not. I, myself, had a simply _heavenly_ night's sleep,"

"Rub it in my face some more why don't you, Birthday Boy!" Keylee glared, making him chuckle.

"Only teasing, kiddo. You can go back to bed and get some more sleep if you want."

"Nah," she brushed off his offer. "I'm not leaving you on your birthday! And besides, someone's got to help you with the store until the Dynamic Duo turn up," she added, accepting the mug of tea he handed to her.

"Earl and Danny really get a kick out of you calling them that, don't they?" Tony smiled, turning on the six o'clock news on the small and ancient portable TV on top of the refrigerator.

"Well, Earl does anyway. Apparently 'back in his day', his 'physique' was just like Batman's. Danny, on the other hand, gets annoyed that I compare him to the 'Tights-Wearing Wonder',"

"That's poppycock… Robin wears _leggings_!" Tony said in an exasperated tone, rolling his eyes, earning an equally sarcastic "I know, right?!" from his niece.

"Hey, speak of Devil, look at that," Tony pointing at the TV screen with his chin and turning up the volume.

Sure enough, there was a video playing on screen and, judging by its poor quality, it had been filmed on someone's phone. It was a tape of the Boy Wonder himself, taking out a couple of thugs who were waving their knives around clumsily.

_You don't have to be a kid in tights with a bird fetish to take __them_ _out,_ Keylee couldn't help but think in a slightly bitter tone. Well, _X_ wasn't impressed anyway.

Tony, however, was a different story. He watched the screen, jaw dropping as Robin made a few 'impressive' back-flips and pinned the last thug to the ground. The camera zoomed in on his face, and the image froze, showing a very blurred set of features. From what the pixelated image would allow, Keylee could make out a pointed chin, a wide, smug smile and probably a nose somewhere around there as well? His eyes were covered by a very blurry shade of black. His mask.

"Pretty cool, huh, Keylls? Don't care if he wears tights, the kid can fight. Where was he when your school needed an extra guy for the wrestling team, right?" Tony nudged her.

"Hmmm," Keylee nodded, not even bothering to correct his misuse of her name. She studied the image, trying to somehow sharpen it with her vision.

She didn't really need the image though. X had come face to face with this boy on numerous occasions already, so she had a pretty good idea of what he looked like up close. Her hand drifted to her arm, touching the newly bandaged wound.

The image of Robin's fragmented face faded to reveal a familiar redheaded news reporter, sitting at a desk with a full coffee mug by her side. With a warm smile pointed at the camera, Keylee recognized this woman as Iris West-Allen.

"And that was the arrest of yet another of Gotham City's gang, courtesy of their local Boy Wonder," she beamed. Keylee resisted the temptation to roll her eyes and make gagging noises. That smug idiot was probably watching this and laughing it up with the Bat as she spoke… With his new nose. She couldn't help but smirk at that. Next time they meet she should be sure to mention– No, there wouldn't be a next time. Never again.

Iris raised a hand to her ear, eyebrows knitting together in concentration before she turned back to the camera.

"I have just received breaking news that the Jaguar Eye Diamond has been stolen from the Gotham City Museum of Antiquities,"

Keylee's automatic reaction was to take a sip of tea and casually sink lower into her chair, eyes trained onto the floor. Her uncle's response differed to hers once again. His posture straightened and he turned the volume up even louder than before.

"We go on to Cat Grant, who's live at the scene. Over to you, Cat."

The shot changed to show a blonde reporter standing in front of the museum, a serious expression etched into her face. Keylee noticed a few police cars in the background as well as an all too familiar moustached Commissioner, muttering to a few officers.

"Thanks, Iris. Well, as you can see, I am standing in front of the Gotham Museum of Antiquities where the precious Jaguar Eye Diamond has been reported stolen. The Gotham Police Department are investigating the scene as we speak, however have found nothing to indicate the identity of this mystery thief. Experts suggest this is related to the previous disappearances of precious items such as the sapphire headpiece of the First Bride as well as the Golden Scarab of the Lost Pharaoh. We go on to ask civilians of their opinions."

The image went onto a crazed, unshaven, leering, Catwoman fan who gripped the microphone as he bellowed his undying love for the leather-clad thief to the camera. Tony hastily flicked off the TV when the man began foaming at the mouth.

"Well, enough of that. Come on, let's go open up shop."

Silently, she got up and went off to get dressed in her room. Putting on her work clothes, a black tee and a pair of slightly grease-stained overalls, the front of which she let hang down (no matter how much the strap size was reduced, they still wouldn't hang on her small shoulders. It _was _an old hand-me-down from an eighteen-year-old Tony after all and even back then, he was quite bulky.) She placed her favourite goggles on the top of her head and grabbed a pair of blue elbow-length rubber mechanic's gloves, as she left the room with a quick glance towards her wardrobe.

Her face darkened slightly. She still had to figure out what to do with the diamond. _She _didn't know people who would be interested. All she did was steal things for the people who did. Both X and Keylee preferred it that way though. Neither of them understood nor possessed any interest in understanding the politics that went behind the actual trading of the precious items between crime lords. It was only the stealing that held any interest to her. And only for the good of the store. For Tony.

She caught sight of the mask, she had thrown on the floor before. She picked it up. Despite what it represented - dishonesty, violence, crime - the mask comforted her. When she wore it, she was X. But, when she held it, she was still Keylee. The life she led at night could merely be a dream. It sometimes seemed like it. She felt the cool, velvety fabric between her fingers, allowing the mask to act as an anchor to distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality.

"No more."

There was a loud crash from downstairs, startling her. Pocketing the mask, she ran out the door to find the source of the noise.

Downstairs, a tall, heavily built young man was kneeling on the floor rubbing his head, tangling his dirty blonde hair further. A thinner and frailer man in his late sixties was shaking his head and laughing with Tony.

"Hey, Earl, what happened?"

"My son just a got a huge helping of karma."

"Why? What did you do this time, Danny?" Keylee grinned, as the boy accepted Tony's hand, allowing himself to be pulled up.

"Nothing!"

"The tools spread all over the floor tell me otherwise," she laughed.

"Teach you to call me old, kiddo. I'm still in my prime!" He flexed a muscle at his son before winking at the girl.

"Karma had nothing to do with it. It's just oil left over from yesterday. Oil that _someone_ forgot to clean up!" Danny gave Keylee an accusing glare.

"You wanna piece of this, Dorkwad?"

"Bring it, Short stuff."

"How about no one brings it? C'mon, it may be my birthday but we got our work cut out for us."

"Tony's right, kids. Quit goofing off and let's get to it."

The teenagers nodded but as the men left, the older of the two grabbed the other under his arm and proceeded to let a long trail of spit hang from his mouth, just above her head.

"EARL!" she screamed.

"Dan, you're not getting paid to salivate over your colleague's head," the man called without glancing in their direction, having learned to pay no attention to the two kids anymore.

• • • • •

The rest of the morning went on as usual. Keylee sat at her tiny workbench in the corner closest to the register. In fact, she was practically below the counter, only to be seen when she stood up upon hearing the bell above the door, the store's indicator of new customers. However, seeing as today was in no way different to usual circumstances, the bell didn't ring.

Keylee didn't mind as much today though. She was in a good mood, despite getting no sleep the previous night.

Today was Tony's birthday. Today was the day X was going into retirement. The thief was about to become a once-was, a had-been and she was glad. She was finally free.

Would she miss the thrill?

Of course.

Would she miss making enemies?

Sorelli popped into her head… In that sense no.

Then an image of Robin.

_When he's not slicing my arm off? Maybe…_ She shook her head, trying to dislodge the thought. No. No, she would not miss him. He didn't like her. She didn't like him. They were too different to _ever_ like each other. He was a hero. She was a thief. He was crime-fighter. She was a wanted criminal. Law enforcer. Law breaker. Good. Bad. The list could go on and on.

A sharp prod in her side made her snap out of her trance. She turned to see Danny, finger poised to poke her again.

"Shrimp, it's almost one. And we've got tons of stuff to deliver today."

"Oh, right. Yeah, okay. How many?"

"Like fifteen."

"Really? Wait, is Mrs Sanchez in that count?"

"I don't know. It was Tony fixing her lawn mower as far as I know."

"Okay, I'll go check with him." She hopped up from her place and went to the manager's office in the back. That's where Tony was if he wasn't working on the cars up front.

She was about to enter the room when she heard that Tony wasn't alone. After a moment, it became obvious he was with Earl but they were speaking in hushed voices. Curiosity got the best of her and she leant forward against the door to listen.

"Earl, I really don't know what to do. The numbers just keep going down and down. I can't keep up with _anything_ anymore."

"C'mon, Tony, it can't be that bad. This store has taken much worse before."

"That's the thing. I don't think it can take anymore blows. One of these days it will get K.O-ed and it won't be able to get back up. Just look at the figures."

There was a pause. Earl took a sharp intake of breath.

"So it is that bad."

"Yeah. The days are going by and I just can't see it getting better."

"I can see that. The debt is taking a big chunk out of profits."

"I don't know what to _do_, Earl," Tony repeated. "This store has been in the family since my great grandfather opened up after World War One! I can't let it go."

"Why not ask for more time?"

"I don't know who we owe it to! Gramps made the deal over fifty years ago to put the store into business. Our side of the contract was lost and he spent everything! We don't have a cent of that money left... Don't tell Keylee this but four years back, before she came to live here, two guys came round asking for the loan. I told them I didn't have it yet and they gave me a deadline. Earl, the deadline is a month from now. A _month!_ I need a miracle if I want to save this store."

"Does she know anything about the debt?"

"She knows more than I give her credit for. But I don't think she knows how serious it's getting. She's been working so hard to help lately. I don't think she's sleeping most nights either. It's breaking my heart. Y'know I got a call from her school last week? She hasn't been coming in for the last two months. They wanted to know when they were to expect her back. Apparently, they were told that she's been ill with severe laryngitis!"

Earl laughed. "That girl is a sly little vixen, I'll give her that. Well, that _and_ Gotham County High is run by idiots."

"I'm serious, Earl! I'm really worried. I know it's not a problem with school work. She's good at it. She's bright. It's the kids. I know she had a tough time making friends when she started school but I thought maybe she would have found someone by now. Sure she has Danny, but seeing someone for five hours a week isn't a lot. A Saturday isn't enough. She needs to be out with kids her own age!"

"I know, I know. Are you going to talk to her about it?"

"Yeah, I'll bring it up tonight."

"I think you should tell her about the debt as well. That way it won't be such a bombshell in a month's time."

"I think you're right. I will. But, Earl? Could you do me a favour?"

"Of course, Tony. Just name it."

"Please. If it doesn't work out, please take care of Keylee. I don't want her to lose her home again. I know the orphanage is her worst nightmare. She doesn't need anymore reminders. It would crush her. She wouldn't be able to handle it... and neither would I."

"Sure thing, Tony. Sure thing."

**AN:/ Until Friday the 29th, my readers (Just to clarify) :) Thanks to all who reviewed... AND read. **


	3. Keylee's Delivery Service

**Chapter 3 – Keylee's Delivery Service **

Tony was worried. Tony thought he was going to lose the store. It was fine though. Today was the day. The day his money troubles were going to disappear. The day he would finally stop worrying. The day she had been planning for months. It was her gift to him on his birthday. The one thing he wanted more than anything else. To save the store. And she was going to give it to him.

She heard Danny yell at her to hurry up from inside the store.

She shouted for him to keep his freckles on, before turning her attention to the white cart in the room. It was full of fixed appliances, with a lawn mower being the latest addition. Standing next to the cart was a large white sheet. She lifted the cover off what it was hiding. Her eyes acquired a familiar happy gleam.

"Hey, baby," she smiled down at her old Vespa. "How's my Shelby doin' today?"

Keylee patted the seat before kneeling over and attaching the cart to the back of the blue scooter. Then picking the helmet on the seat, she strapped it to her head. She revved Shelby's engine as the garage door lifted open. Then calling out some hasty farewells, she was off.

• • • • •

She drove along, ignoring the angry shouts from drivers on the road. She knew she was driving perfectly well and it was, in fact, _them _who didn't know their left from their right. She moved quickly from house to house, delivering different appliances, now fixed, to their owners.

The first stop was in Newtown, not far from the store. Keylee stopped outside a small and shabby, terraced house. The Stones lived here. Mr Stone worked day and night at constantly changing jobs while Mrs Stone juggled between life as a housewife and the neighbourhood Laundromat. Keylee became acquainted with the family when their old washing machine stopped working and they needed a handyman quickly and cheaply. Or in this case, a handy_girl._

She picked up a vacuum cleaner from the cart and she walked up to the door. Mrs Stone, a small thin woman with mousey brown hair opened the door by the second knock.

"Hiya, Mrs Stone!"

"Oh, Keylee, how lovely of you to stop by! Please, come in!"

"Oh, no. That's very kind of you, Mrs Stone, but I'm doing rounds. You know how it is. Don't have the time for it now. But I fixed your vacuum"

"You fixed it already? I only brought it in yesterday. I hope you didn't overwork yourself doing it." She put her hand on her hips, noting the dark rims under the girl's eyes.

Keylee raised her hands up, defensively.

"No, no. Of course not. It wasn't hard. The belts and filter just needed replacing, that's all"

"Well, then that's great! How much do I owe you?"

"Zilch. It's on the house."

"Keylee, don't be silly! Let me give you what I owe you and Tony," Mrs Stone said, reaching for her purse.

"Nope. Trust me. I didn't even break a sweat doing it. This is absolutely free."

Mrs Stone opened her mouth to argue further but a small tug on her sleeve made her stop.

"Hey, Lizzie." Keylee smiled at the young girl. Lizzie hid behind her mother but smiled timidly all the same.

"And how are you today?" Keylee prompted. Lizzie looked at the ground and mumbled something quietly.

"That's good. But my, don't you look pretty! You doing a recital today?" Keylee asked, noting Lizzie's pink tutu and ballet slippers.

Lizzie nodded fervently. She continued holding onto her mom but had relaxed a little.

"Well, I'm sure you're gonna be brilliant!"

"Thank you, Keylee," Mrs Stone replied for her daughter. She looked up to see Keylee had already backed away towards her bike.

"Keylee, we're not finished with the matter of payment!" Mrs Stone shouted over the noisy rev of the engine, waving her purse at her.

Keylee widened her eyes, innocently.

"Huh? I'm sorry, Mrs Stone! I can't hear you! The engine is too loud!" she shouted, squeezing the handle bar to prove her point. "I have to go now! Bye, Lizzie! Bye, Mrs Stone! Say hi to Mr Stone!"

Mrs Stone laughed and Keylee waved before driving away.

"Fine, we'll talk later! But we _will_ talk!" she called after her.

• • • • •

By noon, she only had one more stop to make and that was in the Diamond District of Gotham City. She always felt very out of place in this part of town. It was obvious that all the people who roamed the streets of the Diamond District were of a class much higher than her own. The cars were expensive and well looked after. The buildings were clean, without - believe it or not - a single shattered window. The people themselves walked with an air of self-empowerment. This both impressed and infuriated her, as she watched a group of women passing her at the traffic light. It was only November but due to Gotham's extreme weather they had already whipped out their mink furs. Keylee's cheeks reddened as one of the women eyed her shabby old scooter up and down, taking in the scratches and grubby wheels. Keylee, however, gave the woman a brilliant smile, blew a raspberry and drove on with the green light.

Mr Vince Brown was their richest client, a very wealthy man and a respectable figure in Gotham. He served in the recent wars against Bialya but was forced to retire sooner than he'd planned, due to the gunshot wound he had in his leg. Now he owned a large security business, made up of other ex-army men such as himself. He often worked side by side with the police, who found it useful to use his employees as undercover officers.

Appearance wise, he was very tall, broaching 7 feet high, and had a very heavy build as well with a dark moustache to compliment his masculinity. He was known to be serious, quiet and apparently, according to Keylee, rather clumsy. He would bring in broken appliances from toasters to –on one occasion- a whole refrigerator. All were complete with new problems, none of which were self-inflicted but where probably caused by him, a man who did not know his own strength. Because of this, Keylee would face hours of searching for a replacement door for a microwave oven or another plug just the right size to fit into a toaster socket, the previous having been ripped out and reduced to shreds.

Parking Shelby outside the building, Keylee picked up a huge paper shredder and walked up the white marble steps. The doorman, 'Tom' according to his nametag, opened the door, his smile transforming into a grimace as he caught sight of the grease stains on Keylee's work clothes. She simply rolled her eyes and muttered something about snobs before making her way into the lobby to the front desk, grinning at the tall, spotty bellboy, Owen, who gave her a smile back

She smiled, calling the elevator by pushing the button with her elbow. The elevator arrived almost immediately and whisked her off, rushing upwards, floor after floor until reaching the thirtieth level.

She reached the door of Mr Brown's apartment, 3054 A, quickly. Placing her burden carefully onto the floor, she knocked six times - one long followed by three short and two more long ones. She waited. And waited. She knocked again and the door finally opened a crack.

"Who is it?"

"You know anyone else with a knock like that? Open up, Vinny. It's Keylee"

"Hartwell?"

"No, Keylee the old unicorn breeder. Of _course_ it's Hartwell. How many other Keylees do you know? Seriously, it's not that common a name. Open the door."

"What do you want?"

"That's actually what I'm supposed to ask you. I've got a delivery."

"No, not now. I'm busy. Go away." As he began to close the door, she jammed her foot in and it jarred to an abrupt stop. He pushed again but neither door nor foot would give. Finally, he sighed and opened the door completely. The girl stood there looking at him with unfaltering stubbornness.

"Fine. Come in."

She followed him into the living room, placing the shredder next to the umbrella stand on the way.

"You weren't supposed to fix it this quickly," he grumbled.

"We didn't have many orders and it would have looked suspicious if I didn't fix it. I _did_ put it off until last thing. If anything you should blame Tony," she chuckled, before seeing the man's slightly graver than usual expression. "Plus I figured it was urgent…" She let her voice drift off, waiting for an explanation. He sighed.

"Just out of curiosity how long are you going to want me to break my stuff just so you have an excuse to talk to me?"

"Not long now. I know I don't show it but I really do appreciate what you're doing for my family. But _I'm _curious why you needed to see me this time. You seem _anxious_. And what are you so busy with that you have no time to be with moi?" She fluttered her lashes, giving him an all too innocent look.

"I don't have to tell you everything that goes on in my life, Keylee. And I guess I _am_ kinda anxious."

"Why? What have you heard?"

"There's talk going 'round at Black Mask's. Sorelli's pissed about X stealing from him last night. The diamond was gonna earn him big money see? Would have gotten him out of a tough spot with some of the guys in the business overseas. All the stuff X had stolen was all gonna go to them. He's getting desperate so he's reelin' all his debts back in. This is making all the other big shots do the same. You know, 'cuz if Sorelli's spooked then so is everyone. And _everyone_ owes money to the guys overseas. Sorelli is meant to give everything to them in a week's time so chances are, the Hartwell debt is gonna be collected soon."

"Oh…" She paused before smiling again. "Thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it."

"You don't look worried."

"I'm not. And you don't worry, either. I've got everything under control."

Vinny's head snapped up, eyes widening and he leant forward in his seat.

"My god, Keylee. What did you _do_?"

"Nothing!" She quickly changed the subject. "Do you know who Hartwell & Sons owes the money to?"

"I'm lucky to get _this _much information, kid." he replied, slumping back against the armchair. "They still don't trust me or any of my boys. I think some are getting suspicious"

"Right, right." Her eyes flicked to the clock, before she got up. "Listen, I gotta get going, but thanks, Vin. I owe ya big time."

"Nah. Now we're even. You and your uncle saved my life. It's the least I can do. I just wish you'd let me do the easier thing and just pay your debt for you. The guys at the police don't know I'm doing this and what I'm doing ain't exactly legal."

"That's nice of you to offer, Vin, but we take favours. Not charity."

• • • • •

Gotham City

Saturday, 7th November 2010

16:31

Keylee parked Shelby outside her favourite store – other than Hartwell & Sons of course - the Grande Mart. In her own opinion, Keylee was not very complex in the sense of what she wanted and what she needed. She liked to stray from things she didn't need, like labelled clothes and accessories that she would only wear once. She only had a love for life's basic necessities. Air, family, friends, _cars_ and in this case, food.

She loved food. Period.

And the Grande Mart was her favourite source of this necessity in the entire universe as far as she knew. It had food from all over the globe, all different delicacies stored neatly in rows according to their country of origin. Whenever she walked into the shop, Keylee's eyes would widen in awe as she slowly made her way through the rows of shelves, trying to decide what to choose. The Grande Mart's only two shop assistants, who knew Keylee well, and by now greeted her with smiles and cheerful jokes about the girl's overly emotional display in front of the food products.

For a large supermarket like this one, it would strike many as odd that there were few customers. But that would be the people who weren't familiar with Gotham, and were therefore unfamiliar with Crime Alley. One of the more dangerous parts of Gotham where many, no matter how much they wanted a delicious helping of authentic Cambodian dumplings, would be too afraid to go. But Keylee, being a tough little mechanic by day and an even tougher little ninja by night, never failed to make her trips to the supermarket a weekly tradition.

A good quarter of an hour later, she emerged from the store with a carrier bag full of her favourite Japanese fizzing jawbreakers, a pot of interesting looking squid-cheese noodles and a long log-like Brazilian 'cake' for Tony.

She made her way to Robinson Park and was pleased to see her favourite spot was free. She smiled as she approached the small green hill, dappled with long deserted foxholes. Hiking up to the top, on which perched a large willow tree, she plonked herself down onto one of the flat rocks at its base and began eating her noodles thoughtfully. This spot was her favourite in particular because she had a perfect view of the Reservoir, the giant pond closer to the north of the park.

It had been a while since she sat here and it would probably be a while before she was back. As Gotham's harsh winter grew ever closer, sunny days like these became scarce. Keylee closed her eyes and sucked in the smell of sunshine, of happiness and warmth. She could hear birds twittering in the trees and children laughing somewhere far off, playing. It was amazing. Just being out. With lives so completely singular from her own and completely unaffected by the obstacles she came to face, probably preoccupied with their own. She liked feeling this way. It made her problems seem more distant, less familiar. She listened to the on-going game of Frisbee between three children and their dog and couldn't help but smile.

And then she heard a loud crash.

The sound of breaking glass.

A few screams before they all began…

Laughing?

**AN:/ I like reviews.****Await the next chapter next Saturday (6th).**


	4. Curtain Call

**Chapter 4 – Curtain Call**

_Jessica looked around her new room. The smell of the burning dumpster outside filled the room and it made her nose wrinkle. One of the windows was boarded up and the wallpaper was peeling everywhere. It was only the day before when the scary man had come over again and sent them away from their home. They had half an hour before the man would come back so she and Mommy had had to pack quickly. Jessica did all the packing. Mommy curled up in the corner and cried again. _

_Mommy always cried now. But Jessica didn't cry. Never ever never. Jessica was a big girl now. She didn't mind helping her Mommy. Mommy needed it. She packed all their clothes and folded them very neatly. She left all her toys and brought clean socks instead. She was a big girl now. She didn't need toys. But Jessica did bring something that wasn't clothes. Jessica brought a picture. A picture of Jessica and Mommy and Daddy. Everyone was smiling. Jessica smiled too when she looked at that picture. She put it carefully under her pillow._

_A loud slam. Jessica jumped. Mommy was back. Jessica walked into the next room and saw her. Mommy smelled worse than that stinky dumpster outside. Mommy had been drinking that smelly water again. Jessica tensed. Was Mommy angry again?_

"_Home Sweet Home," Mommy smiled. She hiccupped and turned white. Mommy stumbled to the bathroom and was sick. Mommy fell down._

_Jessica tried to wake Mommy up but Mommy was sleeping. She picked Mommy up by the arms and pulled her all the way to her bed. She took off Mommy's shoes and pulled the duvet to her chin. Mommy curled up and turned on her side. Jessica left Mommy's room and went to clean up the mess Silly Mommy made. _

_Jessica was a big girl now. _

_She didn't need toys._

_She took care of her Mommy. _

_She didn't even cry. _

_Maybe if Jessica was a big girl from now on, Daddy would come back?_

• • • • •

Robinson Park, Gotham City

Saturday, 7th November 2010

17:01

Keylee's eyes snapped open. She turned to look at the street outside the park fence. It was flooded with people. A lot of them were still screaming and running. Others who had been consumed by the smoke were now laughing uncontrollably. The rest were clowns. Yes, _clowns. _Looked like the Joker had escaped again. Keylee shuddered. Even though she was indeed the Girl Without Fear, she at least had the decency to admit when she was slightly creeped out. To herself at least.

X had always managed to stay out of those criminals' ways. Even she understood that they were in a whole different league to her. Why, she was an angel in comparison. And she didn't mind in the slightest. Those guys were a completely new type of insane. Sure, X was a bit crazy but in a loveable, slightly irritating way. _They_ were clinically deranged killers. She was just grateful she wouldn't ever be compared to them like that. Just being a very stealthy thief was enough for her.

Many of the civilians had managed to get away unharmed but all the clowns were still moving towards the same point. They all crowded outside an old bookshop but none seemed to be going in. She squinted, wondering why on Earth they were just standing there. She soon got her answer.

At the heart of the creepy cluster was an annoyingly familiar person. He was in red and black, masked and completely surrounded. It was Wonder Boy and he was in deep trouble. He knocked a few of the henchmen closest to him down but they continued moving in on him. He wasn't getting them fast enough.

Without thinking, she immediately dashed at the crowd. She stopped herself a few feet away. There were too many. She had to be smart about this. She looked around and noticed the fire escape just on the other side of the two-storey building. She smiled. Sneak attacks from above. Her favorite!

She climbed up the metal stairs and hid behind the vents on the roof of the building. Whipping out the mask Danny made her hide with his clumsiness that morning, she placed it over her eyes. Then she took off her overalls, thanking whatever might have inspired her to wear her black leggings underneath. And with that, she threw a couple of small jawbreakers into her mouth and jumped over the edge at the crowd down below.

She dropped onto the head of one just outside the huddle, and with a firm punch in the face, jumped off of him in time to let him fall to the ground unconscious. She looked up. The gang continued to close in on Robin. She had to act quickly. Jumping into the mass of people she used their shoulders as stepping stones towards the boy, shouting a number of good-natured _Sorry_'s and _S'cuse __me_'s.

_Wow, crowd surfing without the crowds permission,_ she thought, dropping down next to her friendlier of foes. He stared at her incredulously.

"X?"

"Hiya, Rob! You don't mind if I drop in, do you? Was in the neighbourhood and figured it couldn't hurt."

"Well- I- uh-"

"Great! Let's get to it then!" she smiled, flooring one clown on her right.

It took him a brief moment of confusion before he joined her, taking down a few more with swift kicks.

"I see your nose is still _on_ your face," she laughed as she pointed out the huge band-aid that covered a large portion of his face.

"No thanks to you!" he called as he took down two more on coming clowns with crowbars.

"Oh, quit being such a girl!"

"I'm _not_!" he called indignantly, punching a henchman with more force than needed. "And anyway, what's with the new getup? Not exactly practical, is it?"

"Unlike some people, I don't _live_ in uniform." X jumped up and kicked two clowns in the shoulders, numbing their arms. They grunted, falling to the ground.

"Speaking of which, how come Bats isn't here with you?"

"He's uptown fighting the big guns. I'm here doing the glamorous side-kick work."

"Looked like you were doing a pretty terrible job until I showed up."

"Was not!" He dodged one and felled two to the ground with a kick.

"Was too!" She caught another two in the face with her fist.

Two more remained. They ran at the masked allies.

"Allow me," she muttered. Spitting her jawbreakers into her hand, she threw them at their feet. The clowns lost their steps on the small slippery sweets and both fell on their backs with a groan. She laughed and turned to Robin who was looking at her with a slightly disgusted look.

"Those were in your mouth the whole time?"

"Mhm. Good flavours too. I had to give up a red one for that."

"You just spat them out and threw them."

"Yes, I did. Not the brightest little detective, are you?"

"That's gross."

"No, no. That's r_esourceful_," she enunciated.

"We could've taken them, you know."

"Yeah, but it was funnier my way."

Robin was about to reply when the loud wails of approaching police sirens sounded in the distance. _Fast _approaching.

"You should go," he said. X folded her arms, the quizzical raise of her eyebrow apparent even behind the mask.

"No arrest?"

"You want to be?"

"Not particularly, no."

"Well then. Go."

She eyed him, curiously for a moment.

"Why are you being so nice?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

He waited. She didn't reply. The police sirens were getting louder.

"Okay. Just call it a debt being repaid."

"My sentiments exactly, Wonder Boy," she beamed.

"But, X. Next time, I won't be lenient."

"I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Police cars had now rounded the corner and were on the other side of the street. They were approaching quickly. Robin looked back to shoo her away, but she was already gone. He gave a small smirk before turning his attention back to the oncoming police officers. The Batmobile was following closely behind.

"Crap," he muttered as the cars pulled up a few feet away. Instantly, police officers rushed out and began cuffing the unconscious henchmen. Robin, however, was looking at his mentor. Batman approached.

"What happened?" he asked in his usually stoic tone.

"Joker's henchmen."

"Obviously. However, too many for any one person to handle. So I repeat. What happened?"

"X did," he replied after a long pause. "She got away though," he added, hastily.

"I see that."

Robin looked down at the ground. He didn't know what to say next. He opened his mouth but closed it again, rethinking what he was about to say. He wasn't next to speak anyway.

"Is it difficult?"

"What?"

"For you to catch her. Is it difficult? Do you need me to-"

"No!" Robin protested. He cleared his throat when he saw the look of scepticism on Batman's face. "I mean, no. No, I got it. I promise I'll get her next time."

"Fine. But if you don't, then I will step in."

"Fine."

• • • • •

Hartwell's Apartment

Saturday, 7th November 2010

20:43

"That was some good cake, Keylls." Tony patted his stomach, leaning back in his chair. "Thanks. At least I don't feel sad about my age anymore."

"Oh shut up, Tony. You're way too young to be feeling depressed about your age."

"I'm thirty-four."

"And Earl's sixty-seven. Your point?"

"Are you trying to say that I'm only as old as I feel?"

"You got it right on the head," she said, touching the tip of her nose with one hand and pointing at him with the other.

"Wise kid."

"Yes. I. Am." She looked up at the clock. "Hey, Tony. It's eight forty-five. You know what that means?"

"_American Dad!_ is on TV."

"Yeah. Come on. Nothing like your favourite show to brighten your thirties blues," she laughed, moving to the kitchen counter to get the remote. She was about to press the button when Tony snatched it out of her hand.

"Actually, Keylls. I kinda wanted to talk."

The girl stiffened slightly.

_Here it comes_, she thought. She didn't know why she was nervous. She was about to give him the money anyway. And it wasn't like he was gonna grill her much. Tony wasn't like that. She hid her nervousness behind a wide smile.

"Key_lee_," she chuckled. "Yeah sure, Tony, we can talk. What's up?"

She sat back down at the table, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Keylee, you've been working really hard lately. And I mean, working non-stop with the exception of sleep. And even that doesn't look like it's working anymore. I've noticed how tired you're getting and it's breaking my heart. That's why… I don't want you to work for the store anymore."

"What?!" She had been expecting some words of concern. Not extreme form of action.

"Wait… You're _firing _me?"

"Look. I got a call from your school. I know that you haven't been coming in for the last few months. Instead, you've been sneaking off to another job, haven't you? You've been working another job to get more money into the store."

She didn't answer. She didn't know what to say.

Oh, she'd had another job alright. How was she going to put it? She didn't really think this part through. What was she going to say?

_Hey, Tony, look I have this huge sack of money. How did I get all of it? Oh, I stole some stuff and then sold it to a crime lord. Lanzo Sorrelli. Heard of him? Yeah, he's pretty evil… _

"Well, Keylee? Haven't you?" Tony prompted, summoning her back down to Earth. She shook her head slightly to dislodge the confused tangle of thoughts in her brain, before nodding slowly.

"You got me," she said sheepishly.

"Keylee, this isn't a joke! It's serious. You're throwing away your chances of an education. Of a future."

"I already have a future," she responded. "My future is here at Hartwell & Sons with you. I want to grow up and be like you."

"_Don't_ say that. Keylee, I don't want you to think that! Look at me! Look at the life I'm barely providing! Keylee, I'm a wash-out. I'm thirty-four years old and I haven't accomplished anything for myself. All I've done is inherit my father's business just as he did before me. Only difference between me and him is that I've run it into the ground."

His niece opened her mouth to protest but he stopped her.

"No, Keylee. You have to go back to school. Because I don't think there will be a Hartwell & Sons in the future. I _know _there won't be one in the future. Look, I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner but we owe money. A lot of money. Your great great grandfather made a deal years ago and we have to give it all back in a month. We don't have enough. And that's why I'm selling the store."

"Tony…"

"But don't worry. Earl said you could stay with him and Danny."

"Tony."

"They'll look after you, I promise."

"Tony!"

"Hm?" he looked up, snapping out of his speech.

"Tony, there's something I need to tell you. And I'm not sure how you're going to take it."

"It won't be worse than what I just said."

"But I think it might be."

"Keylee… What is it?"

"I knew. I knew all of it so I took matters into my own hands. I mean I thought I'd just do it once, earn a little to help you along but then I just kept going until I couldn't stop."

"Where are you going with this, Keylee?"

"I think it would be better to show you."

She hurried out of the room. Tony waited at the table, drumming his fingers on the tabletop. He felt like the burden of his secrets had lightened him only for the tension of not knowing what Keylee's secret was to weigh him down again. He was growing increasingly nervous with every passing minute. He crossed his fingers. Keylee hadn't gone onto the market, had she? Obviously in these parts of Gotham things like that weren't unheard of. Young girls forced to do desperate things for money. He wouldn't be able to live with the guilt of knowing Keylee was driven to do that. He closed his eyes as he breathed out. He heard a cough and opened his eyes. A wave of relief washed over him. He laughed.

"You make an adorable ninja, Keylls." He looked her costume up and down, admiring how realistic it looked.

"Wow. You've got a utility belt like Batman and _everything_. Where'd you get the outfit from?"

"I made it. Six months ago."

"Impressive," he chuckled, wondering why she sounded so grave. "So, what's it for? An ad for some shop or something?"

"No. Not exactly," she replied through the mask. She shifted the fat laundry bag, she clutched in her hand, forward. Tony took the hint.

"What's in the bag?"

She handed it over to him without a word. She took a few steps back, waiting for his reaction. Tony looked at her quizzically then taking the bag from her, he peeped inside. He gasped.

"Keylee… What is this?"

Notes. Notes and notes. The sack was full of bills. Money. He couldn't believe it. He reached his hand into the sack to make sure it was real.

"Keylee, how did you get all this?"

Before she could reply, he felt something cold and smooth brush against his fingers. He looked inside to see the answer to his question. He had just touched a diamond. A very large, lime green diamond. He had seen this precious stone on TV. It was the Jaguar Eye.

"No," he gasped, immediately dropping the sack onto the floor. He looked at her in horror.

"It was you? It was you all this time? All those artefacts, all those thefts. That was you?"

There was a pause.

"Keylee Hartwell, answer me!"

"Yes. Yes, it was me."

Tony stared at her before his eyes lowered and his shoulders drooped.

"So that's how it is then… That explains it all. The sleepless nights. You weren't having nightmares. You were doing… this!" he gestured at her. "Keylee, why?"

"The store, Tony. I knew you needed my help and I did what I had to do. Look, I have enough. I have enough to pay them all off and still have some to spare! We can finally get the ad on TV you always wanted. We can renovate the store!"

Tony didn't answer. He wasn't looking at her. Her fists clenched.

"Look, it's not like I took money from good people. The money I have is the money of the people who took from _us_. Tony, they're bad people!"

"And how does that justify your actions?!" He banged his fist onto the table. "Using this money, we would be no better than the people who did us wrong. We would be just as bad!"

"No! We wouldn't be! It would be just and fair. Tony, now, we would at least be even!"

"Is that it then? You did it to get 'even'?! Keylee, this doesn't make us even! We're so past 'even' we can't see it anymore! Sure, you took money from the bad guys but you stole from the people who didn't ever touch us!"

"What do you mean 'people who didn't ever touch us'?! They're all to blame! _Look_ at them, Tony. _None_ of them work as hard as we do! Their life is handed to them on a solid gold platter! I see them walk past me every time I do my rounds. They look down on us and they think they're better than us because they inherited a giant vault of cash! How can you not hate them?!"

"Keylee, you know that's not true! Of course there are people like that but since when do we care? All they've done is look! They can't help the life they were born into."

"I can't believe you're actually _defending _them!" she yelled. "You're defending the people who get money off our misery!"

"Keylee. I'm not accepting this. It wouldn't be right to take it and you know it," Tony pushed the sack towards her. The diamond had rolled out onto the floor. He picked it up and put it in her gloved hand.

"No! We are taking it! I worked my butt off for it and I'm not giving it back now! I earned it fair and square!" Her fingers tightened around the diamond as she waved it at him.

"What's fair about theft?!" he shouted back.

A horrible shocked silence hung over them . Tony had never yelled before. He looked like he regretted it instantly. He continued, quietly.

"Keylee, it's not our money. It's been earned illegally. We are honest people. We are good people. We do not oppose the law."

"The law?! What has the law ever done to help us?! Tony, we live in a place where crime dominates everything! Someone here gets shot in the head every day! The law ruins everything! It lets people like Sorrelli run free! A man who murdered almost a hundred people, his own wife included!" she shouted but Tony shook his head sadly.

"Keylee. It's not our money," he repeated calmly. His change in tone only infuriated her more. Her shoulders trembled with rage.

How dare he? How could he? She had worked for him. Only for him. And he just pushed it away. Her heart had a weight on it and her chest had tightened so her breathing had become shallow.

She hated it. She hated him for making her feel like that.

"I hate you!" she yelled and she ran out of the room. She got to her bedroom and locked the door. She could hear him calling after her. She didn't want to see him. She grabbed her backpack and stuffed the diamond into it. Then, flinging it over her shoulder she jumped out the window and ran out into the night.

• • • • •

Crime Alley, Gotham City

Sunday, 8th November 2010

00:26

Her phone rang in her pocket. She knew it was Tony. She ignored it. She was just going to let it go to voicemail. It continued to ring persistently. She still wasn't going to answer it. Instead, X switched it off completely. Shedangled her feet over the edge of the building, staring out over her city.

She'd been gone three hours now. It wasn't much for her. She'd been away from home much longer before. But today, right now, time moved slowly as her brain tried to process everything.

Okay. So she told Tony. He didn't take it well. In fact, he took it much worse than she thought. He actually yelled. That wasn't like him. Keylee was the loud one. She was the one who shouted and screeched and stomped. But never Tony. He was always so calm and collected. Well, not anymore.

_Well done, Keylee. Nice one. You made a man as calm as Tony lose it. No one's ever done that before. You should feel proud, idiot. What now? You going to go back and make Earl cry? _

She got up suddenly and began to pace. Anyone could've looked up at that moment and seen a deranged ninja walking up and down a rooftop, muttering to itself. But she was past the point of caring. She had somehow managed to turn something about Tony into a pity party for herself. It was shameful. She wouldn't stand for it. Tony was the focus point.

Yes, Tony wasn't her friend anymore but he was still her father. The closest thing she had had to a father in a long time. He didn't have to take her in when he did. He wasn't forced to but he did. He did it out of compassion and sincerity. He cared for her for the last four years. Always giving and never taking anything. And now she had managed to hurt him. In retrospect, his reaction was understandable. Despite living in the most crime-ridden area of the most crime-ridden city, Tony Hartwell remained honest and loyal to Gotham. He never would've done anything to hurt anyone. Her uncle was a good man. A good man who had been hurt a lot in his life, and the most recent blow had come from his own niece.

X's heart gave a pang of guilt. It was suffocating. She couldn't handle it. She needed to apologize. Apologize and hope he'd forgive her. She started in the direction of Newtown. Home, her home.

Quietly she admitted to herself something she always knew but needed to hear. She loved her uncle. Despite what she had said before, she loved him.

Below, a large black car sped past towards the Diamond District. She shook her head. Crazy drivers. They would get hurt if they kept going at that speed. She ignored it as she heard police sirens in the distance. The police would handle speeders.

A few police cars rushed past, going the opposite direction. She had half a mind to call after them and tell them they were going the wrong way. She didn't though. Instead, she hid behind a large vent on the roof she was on and changed out of her suit. She didn't want to get caught just yet. She still needed time to apologize to Tony. She put everything in the backpack, leaving the mask for last. She took it off and held it sadly.

This was the end of X.

The final curtain call. X had gone out with a bang.

At least the final memory of the thief was of her doing good. She cradled the mask in her hand for a moment more before placing it carefully into the bag as well. And then she climbed down the fire escape, leaving the bag behind.

Keylee Hartwell didn't look back. She was on the sidewalk, walking back home. She was completely focused. She wouldn't look back.

She reached the end of her street. She stopped.

What she saw made her forget all about X.

She broke into a run. She reached the flashing, blaring lights of the police cars. She didn't stop to note the irony of herself rushing towards the police rather than away. She saw the yellow tape around the entrance. Arms tried to restrain her but she pushed past.

She ran through the workshop, ignoring the shouts telling her to stop. She wouldn't stop. She got to the manager's office. She tried to get in but an officer was blocking the exit.

She didn't know what she was saying. She was babbling. But somehow the man understood and his face changed to a grim expression.

"Miss Hartwell… I'm sorry."

**AN:**

**THAT is the link to my first illustration. thank you for reading. Remember to review because they make me happy no matter what (and help me improve ;) )**

**Now down to business, I am gonna be away all of next week so bear with me if I'm late with the next update. **


	5. Hipster

**Chapter 5 – Hipster**

GBS Newsroom

Saturday, 13th November 2010

18:00

"Today's top story. The missing Jaguar Eye Diamond has been returned to its rightful place in the Gotham Museum of Antiquities after being reported stolen only a week ago. The museum's board of directors are overjoyed at what they call a miracle while the Gotham City Police Department remain puzzled by the diamond's sudden reappearance…"

• • • • •

GBS Newsroom

Wednesday, 17th November 2010

18:23

"… And in other news, Gotham City's Commissioner Jim Gordon received a rather strange delivery this morning. Commissioner Gordon woke up this morning and found a sack of approximately eight thousand dollars in cash on his doorstep. The note attached stated it was "To the good people of Gotham City..."

• • • • •

GBS Newsroom

Sunday, 21st November 2010

18:08

"…astoundingly, none were killed in the fire. Many are thanking the fire fighters, however most residents say they were carried out by a mysterious figure in black. There are doubts as to whether this was the Dark Knight himself or any other recognized League members as none fit the description given: a small figure in a black hood and a costume resembling that of a ninja. We go on to Cat Grant, live, speaking with some of the survivors…"

• • • • •

GBS Newsroom

Thursday, 1st December 2010

18:10

"Recent suspicions of a new hero have been confirmed as our mystery man was finally caught yesterday stopping a robbery in broad daylight. Or should we say, mystery girl. The girl in black was filmed catching the thief before awaiting the police's arrival. Whether or not this new crime fighter is under any affiliation with other heroes is still unknown. Calling herself X…"

• • • • •

Sorelli Building, Gotham City

Thursday, 22nd December 2010

23:02

Commissioner Gordon arrived at the Sorelli Building exactly eight minutes after he received the phone call. It had been from X. The new hero. He didn't like her. He knew her past and wished the press did too, instead of pegging her as an overnight Wondergirl. Her recent actions, though… They confused him. Apparently she was turning over a new leaf. Trying to keep up with the status that all of Gotham had given her. Tonight, she had supplied the police with evidence to support the arrest of Lanzo Sorelli. She had found Sorelli's hidden databases. Evidence for many of the recent murder cases as well as addresses for the storage units of his drug trade.

Commissioner Gordon looked around and saw the phone booth from which she made the call on the other side of the road. It was empty. She was long gone. As usual. She knew that they would arrest her no matter what she did, no matter what she gave back. That is why she kept her distance, only contacting him through calls via payphones and occasionally patronizing notes. She knew what would happen if they caught her. She understood she was a still a criminal and she stayed away. The man looked towards the rooftops of the buildings opposite. She was out there somewhere and he would find her,that he swore.

• • • • •

Clock Tower, Gotham City

Thursday, 23rd December 2010

00:31

After the police cars had faded away, X sighed leaning back. She felt better than she had two hours prior. . For the past month, in fact. Sorelli was gone. He had been brought to justice and hopefully wouldn't to be seen again for a long time. Finally. He wouldn't be able to hurt anyone anymore. She felt her mind at peace and her body relaxing. She swung her legs a little and looked out to the city.

Gotham. She both hated and loved it. She hated the harsh weather that never seemed to cease. She hated the way it was cruel to its lower class civilians. She hated the way the city had a tendency to produce criminal scum like Sorelli.

But she loved Gotham in the night time. The beauty of central Gotham was caught perfectly at midnight by the hundreds of lights speckled over the skyscrapers of the Diamond District. She loved how the city always looked alive, never slept. She loved how this city was and had been her family's hometown for generations. Gotham City was her city. She took a sharp intake of breath, the icy air burning her nose. She didn't mind. The air on the rooftops of Gotham was surprisingly clean in comparison to other cities. Just another one of its many mysteries.

She opened her eyes. She should have felt lighter that a feather but there was still something in the recesses of her mind nagging at her. Something she had tried to hide as soon as it appeared in her head. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't tempted in the moment. She could've done it. He could be dead right now. Burning in hell where he belonged. She didn't understand what hurt more. The fact that he lived or the fact that she even considered murder. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the thought unsuccessfully from her head. How could she with what was in her pocket.

She pulled out the document she had found that morning. The contract that the Hartwell's made all those years ago.

Her heart had skipped a beat when she held it in her hand for the first time that day. She remembered seeing her great grandfather's signature: Eddie Hartwell. She remembered reading the signature next to it.

She remembered going cold and then the rest was a blur.

She remembered feeling rage. Pure anger searing through her veins.

She didn't remember getting dressed.

All she remembered was the look in Sorelli's eyes before she knocked him out. She remembered how his sinister smile only made her angrier.

She could've done it. Snapped his neck. She shook her head more forcefully this time. She wasn't She breathed out before gripping the papers and ripping them, slowly and surely. She continued, demeaning the contract to shreds until it was reduced to pieces no bigger than her thumbnail. She could feel the wind blowing at her back, making her hair fly into her face, as though beckoning her to continue.

She raised the handful of shreds into the air. She had almost unclenched her fist to let the bits of paper fly when she heard a deliberate cough from behind her. Her fist dropped to her side and her heart into her stomach. She knew who it was and she wasn't in the mood. She kept her eyes trained on the Gotham skyline before her.

"I hope you weren't about to litter, X. Otherwise, I would've had to get Commissioner Gordon to fine you. "

Robin came out of the shadows behind her, smiling smugly. She still didn't turn around.

"If you're gonna arrest me, could you do it later? I'm really not in the mood for it now," she snapped.

"I have no intention of arresting you now. I'm off the clock," he said, swinging his legs over the edge of the building as he sat down beside her.

"Oh, _haha_. Because you're actually sitting _on_ a clock."

"Jealous that I'm too funn-"

"You know," she cut him off. "I'm beginning to think you have some weird thing against arresting me. It's getting kind of tiresome waiting for it. Is that why you're here? Couldn't stay away?" She fluttered her eyelashes sarcastically, making her voice go breathy.

"Keep dreaming," he rolled his eyes. "I just came for the view."

"Yeah right. And I blow pigs out my butt."

"Recently discovered talent?"

She eyed him suspiciously, making him raise his hands in defence.

"Okay, okay. I might have just wanted to talk as well."

"Aw, I'm touched. And slightly sympathetic. The Bat doesn't seem like much of a conversationalist."

"He isn't."

"Go figure."

Robin made a humming noise in agreement before they fell into an awkward silence. Usually when they talked there was a lot of punching involved. He suddenly snapped his fingers and made a noise of recollection, reaching to his belt.

"You forgot this back at the museum." He produced a dagger from the inside of his cape.

"My knife! Hey, I thought it was gone for good!" She beamed before her face acquired a sudden frown. "You really think it's smart? Giving me back my weapon?"

"I doubt you're going to stab me now that you have a hero rep to uphold."

"Oh , you flatter me! But, you sure you don't want to take it back to wherever you and Bats go? Maybe run a few scans on it?" The tone of sarcasm was apparent in her voice.

"Already did," he shrugged. "You're good at the secrecy thing. No finger prints or anything._"_

"Oh. Well then… Thanks."

"You're welcome."

They reverted back to silence. She gave a small cough, crossing and then, after a moment, uncrossing her legs again before, with another small cough, deciding to try to keep the conversation moving.

"So, what did you want to talk abou-"

"How's your arm?" he cut in suddenly, making her blink in surprise.

"Healed," she answered, before grinning cheekily. "I see your face isn't a mummified mess anymore either"

"Yeah, no thanks to you."

She just shrugged.

"If you're waiting for an apology, don't hold your breath. You man-handled me and you got what was coming to you."

"With that logic I should have the right to fracture your nose too."

She gave him a look which could only be described as one of exasperation.

"Well, I _won't_punch you in the face, but I should."

"What? Some dumb sexist promise stopping you?" she challenged.

"Nah. I gave up on that. I realized you can't_fight_ crime without punching someone, no matter their age, gender or whatever. It's kind of why the police don't get anything done as well."

"If only Batman could hear you now."

"It's not like he's not thinking it."

"I know, I know. It's funny because Gordon thinks the world of you two. But I agree with your_very_ good point."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Perhaps. Or a very well-disguised insult. Depends on how you interpret it and whether or not you heard the sarcasm in my voice."

"I don't think I've ever gotten one of those from you before. Not a real one anyway." He replied not listening to her.

"Don't get used to it, Bird Brain."

"There's the hostility I remember!"

They both laughed.

"X?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You can but I might not answer it honestly. Shoot," she lay back onto the roof, folding her arms under her head.

"Okay. What made you stop - you know, and give everything back?"

Silence followed as she went quiet, mulling over the question in her head. Then X sat back up and grinned.

"That's easy. My family staged an intervention concerning my severe case of kleptomania." This was a half-truth. She and Tony had had a brief conversation. She technically wasn't lying. Robin, however, looked skeptical.

"Fine. Don't tell me." Then he smirked. "I'll figure it out by myself."

"Speaking of which, you should also be having an intervention any day now."

"What makes you say that?"

"Your equally severe case of stalking," she replied, simply.

"Hey. Stalking's a strong word. I'm a detective, thus, I do not 'stalk'. I _observe._"

"Po_tay_to, Po_tah_to, Wonder Boy. All I know is, dumpsters don't usually have eyes. Don't think I didn't see you outside the Sorelli Building before I went in. Part of me just wanted to see how far you'd let me go without butting in. I'm kind of surprised you didn't."

"I figured he must have done something really bad to piss you off. I was gonna step in but you stopped yourself before you did anything rash. I think that's pretty impressive."

"Pardon my lack of perception, Robin, but was that a compliment?"

"Depends how you interpret it," he repeated and they both chuckled before he continued:

"But, I'm assuming your days as most feared kleptomaniac of Gotham are officially behind you? I mean, you really have this whole hero thing going for you."

"I don't know about that." She replied grimly. He misunderstood her tone for modesty.

"Well, for the duration of this past month you've saved over thirty people. And you've just gotten one of the most powerful crime bosses of Gotham arrested. You've sure made mine and Batman's jobs easier. Tell me that that isn't what a hero would do."

"Oh yeah? Would a hero try to kill him first?"

Her outburst silenced both of them instantly. Both knew it to be true but neither had wanted to be the first say it. She sighed.

"Robin, that was the first time I felt that way. The first time I actually _wanted_ to inflict that much pain onto another person. The idea that I could've killed him if I hadn't stopped myself is really… well… freaking me out."

But the boy merely shrugged in response.

"I know. It's hard to walk away from someone like that. Anger was rolling off you in waves. What did he do to make you go there?"

She didn't answer and he instantly backed off.

"Sorry. Force of habit with the whole detective thing. I didn't mean to pry. What matters is that you stayed whelmed and stopped yourself."

"Thanks, Ro- Wait, what did you say?"

"You stayed whelmed."

Seeing her quizzical look he sighed and moved forth to explain himself.

"You weren't overwhelmed but you weren't underwhelmed. Hence, you were whelmed."

"Oh god. Don't tell me you're one of those hipster guys. And I was almost beginning to think you were okay. What, prefixes too 'mainstream' for you?" He laughed again, casually brushing off her accusation.

"Nah. I'm just a guy who's realized that the English language doesn't make any sense."

"Agree with you on that one. And so complicated. Spanish is much easier."

"You speak Spanish?"

"And a few others."

"How many is a few?"

"I don't know. Like, fifty give or take."

"Ha ha. My turn to blow pigs out my butt. You know, I'm starting to think you're a pathological liar on top of the whole kleptomaniac thing."

"Believe what you want, Robin. It's my turn to ask the questions anyway. Why did you insist on going after me even after Batman offered to catch me himself? I mean, come on. We're not exactly besties for you to want to hang out with me."

"How did you know about that?"

"I guess I do my fair share of 'observing' as well. But anyway, answer the question."

"Hypocrite, much? And I guess I wanted to prove to him that I could do it, you know? It doesn't feel right when he comes back, having put his crooks into Belle Reve or Arkham and I return empty handed…"

His voice trailed off towards the end as they were pushed into another pause. They had both said much more than was to their liking. The sense of awkwardness hung over them like a thick fog and it made X feel uncomfortable. Clearing her throat, she elbowed him in the ribs, trying to dislodge the unpleasant feeling. He protested, looking at her with an expression of irritated confusion.

"My heart bleeds for you, you poor little Wonder Boy," she rolled her eyes. "Glad to know that I'm just some insignificant part of this competition between you and Bats. Still, it could be fun to stick it to him," she mused, standing up. "Maybe I'll let you catch me sometime."

"Really?" he asked incredulously, eyes widening and making X laugh.

"Sure, but I'm not gonna make it too easy. Just make sure I go to Arkham not Belle Reve. I want to stay in the same city when I escape. It's hard buying a plane ticket wearing a costume, you know."

"You're a very strange kind of kid, aren't you?"

She beamed at him as if he had just given her the best compliment in the world.

"As are you, Rob. As are you. Y'know, I liked our chat. It was nice. Until our next encounter, Wonder Boy."

"I wait with bated breath, Girl Without Fear."

X laughed, turning towards the drop.

"Oh yeah, and Happy Holidays!" she threw over her shoulder before diving in the city below. Robin looked over the edge of the roof in time to see her grab onto a flagpole and swing herself onto the roof of a nearby building before disappearing into the night.

• • • • •

GBS Newsroom

Friday, 23rd December 2010

06:21

"Last night, Gotham City's Lanzo Sorelli of Sorelli Enterprises was arrested after the police discovered new evidence that linked him directly to the recent Newtown and Otisburg murders. Called up by an anonymous caller, the police arrived at the scene to find an unconscious Sorelli and direct access to the Sorelli databases. Though the alleged crime lord was released on two million dollars bail, he is currently awaiting a hearing…"

**AN: I'm sorry for being so late updating and I realize there was a problem with the link in the last chapter as well. I'll figure it out later. I'll strive to update by Saturday. Remember to review :) Thanks!**


	6. Be Mean to X Day

**Chapter 6 – "Be Mean to X" Day**

_Jessica was shaking behind the couch. That was where she hid. Jessica was scared. She was alone. She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. She was pretending she wasn't alone at home. That someone was there to hold her hand. That there wasn't someone outside the door._

_She could hear their voices. Two men. She curled up into a ball. She brought her knees up under her chin because her teeth had started chattering. She wanted Mommy. She wanted to be saved. _

_She heard a new voice. Mommy's voice. There were keys in the lock and the door creaked open._

"_Jessicaaaaa? Come on out, Jessssssie."_

_Mommy's voice wasn't right. It was shaky. The words were slurred. Jessica stayed behind the couch. She kept her eyes closed. She kept her hands clasped. Suddenly she was picked up. _

_Jessica screamed. She kicked. She opened her eyes. She was hoisted up by a big man in a black suit. The other man gave Mommy something. A piece of paper. A few pieces of paper. They were green. Money. _

_Jessica screamed. They shouted something at her. _

_Jessica screamed. They took her out of the building._

_Jessica screamed. They threw her into the back of a van._

_She screamed and screamed and screamed._

• • • • •

Downtown Gotham Police Station

Saturday, 24th February 2011

16:56

"Hey, hey, hey. No need to shove, Jim."

"Just get into the cell, X. I'll be with you shortly."

"Fine. But I'm getting in because I want to. Not because you told me to," she huffed, wrenching her arm out of his grip and stomping into the cell.

Locking the door, Commissioner Gordon walked to the desk on the other side of the room as X plonked herself down opposite a strongly built woman, with huge biceps and a tattoo completely covering any portion of flesh on her face.

"Hey, so what are you in for?" X nods her head, smiling.

"Grrrrrr."

The woman grinded her teeth, ripping a large chunk out of the wooden bench she was sitting on with her hands. She then raised it to X's face and splintered it in her fist.

"Oookay... Geez, I was just trying to be friendly," X muttered, sliding farther away from her cellmate.

She resolved herself to studying the Commissioner for the next ten minutes. Upon his return to the cell door, with a large brown folder in hand, she had had a revelation.

"Did you know you bear an uncanny resemblance to Ned Flanders? You know, brown haired, bespectacled, mustached neighbor of Homer Simpson?" she asked as he opened the door, and lead her down the corridors of the station by her handcuffs.

"X, I've said this before and I'll say it once again. You have the right to remain silent. If I were you I would take me up on that offer."

"Wow. Out of curiosity, is it 'Be mean and obnoxiously rude to X' day? Honestly. A little decorum would be nice. I mean, I just helped you with your job, man! The robbers would have gotten away and you would have lost a butt-load of money if it wasn't for me. And _this_ is how you repay me? Handcuffing me and locking me in a cell with a-"

"I mean it, X. Stop talking." His voice had a note of finality in it and she fell silent.

"Wouldn't kill you to say 'please', though," she muttered huffily after a moment.

He didn't reply. He continued pulling her down hall after hall until they finally reached a large metal door. He pulled on the handle, and the door gave a loud and heavy groan. It opened to a small room with a long, single sided window on one wall and a table with two chairs in the middle. She stepped in, noticing the object on the table.

"That thing won't work on me, you know." She nodded at the lie detector, sitting down in one of the chairs.

"I'll be the judge of that, X"

"Whatever floats your boat, Neddy," she shrugged. She allowed him to put the lie detector straps around her waist, arm and finger.

"Whenever you're ready, Ned."

"What is your name?"

"Okay! You got me! I'll talk!" she cried suddenly, making his eyes widen in surprise. Then she took a deep, dramatic breath and continued in a calm voice.

"My name is Sergei Konnikov. I am a fifty three year old Russian fisherman. I am happily married to my wife Natasha and we live on a small island just off the coast of the Mexican border with our fifteen children. I-"

Commissioner Gordon stopped her and looked at the charts the lie detector had produced. It had read her whole outburst as true.

"Is this your idea of a joke?" he rounded on her.

"Did I mention we have a pet unicorn named Stavros," she replied forcefully, as though daring him to arrest her for telling the 'truth'.

"X, I suggest you be honest. You're only making it harder for yourself in the long run."

"But my way is so much fun. And besides, did you detect a lie in my speech? No. Hence, I would very much like you to phone Natasha and tell her, the kids and the unicorn that I'm alright."

"I find it difficult to believe you."

"Are you insinuating that I'm a liar? If so, I resent that accusation. I take offence to it and I think I deserve an apology."

"X, you're not fifty-three year old man."

"You don't know what I got!"

"I can point out parts in most of your speech that can be classed as dishonest."

"Name one."

"Unicorns aren't real."

She gasped, outraged.

"Shut up! You're _face_ isn't real."

"Now you're being childish."

"No. I'm being sensible."

"Are you just going to oppose everything I say?"

"If you keep spouting nonsense, then yes."

• • • • •

_10 minutes later_

"Do you know this man?" He pulled out a photograph, putting it on the table.

"Well now I wish I did. He's hot."

"You really think this is appropriate for a girl your age?"

"I don't know what you mean, Ned. I'm a seventy-five year old woman who moonlights as a NASCAR racer and has a somewhat unhealthy button obsession… But I guess we all have our quirks. Tell me, how is _your_ obsession with masked vigilantes going?"

"I'll ask the questions, X."

"Whatever makes you happy, Mustache Man. I was just trying to make this conversation pleasant."

"This is an interrogation, X. You have been taken into custody by an officer of the Gotham City Police Department."

"Liar. This isn't an actual arrest! You want something from me," she accused, smiling.

"And pray tell why do you think that?"

"For one, you haven't taken my mask off. And also, there's no one on the other side of that glass." She indicated towards single sided window. "Plus, that camera isn't recording any of this 'interrogation' because you don't have proper jurisdiction to ask me what you're about to ask me."

"You seem to have had lots of experience with this."

"I've dabbled."

"Fine, you're right. I'm not arresting you. _If_ you help me."

"Blackmail. Wow. That's a bit dark for you, isn't it Neddy?"

"I wouldn't be coming to you if I had any other choice. Trust me, this is the last thing I want to be doing."

"_Pshaw_, you Charmer," she grinned. "So tell me, why do you need my help?"

"Her."

He took out another photograph from the folder and placed it on the table for her to see. It was a photo of a small girl of about six. X remained calm but Keylee's heart began to race. It was Lizzie. She hadn't spoken to the Stones since Tony had gone. She stared down at the little girl in the photo. She was wearing her tutu and her hair was in a bun with pretty little flowers clipped in. She was looking at the camera with her shy little smile, holding the hem of the tutu. What had happened in the last three months? What had happened to Lizzie?

X plastered a small smile on her face, raising an eyebrow.

"So far you've shown me a picture of that gorgeous piece of eye candy and now this sweet little girl? The connection please?"

"He is a prime suspect for the abduction of Elizabeth Stone."

"I see. And the reason for her abduction?"

"Her father's refusal to pay 'protection money'. Now the price has gone up and his daughter's life is at stake."

"I follow but why am I here? Isn't kidnapping and holding for ransom, I don't know, illegal?! Why aren't the police all over this?"

"We were three months ago. We haven't heard from the kidnappers for the last two and a half. The case had to be closed and the assumption that they had moved to another location and killed the hostage had to be confirmed."

"What? But what about the media? They could've put _everyone _on alert."

"The terms of the kidnappers were to remain silent."

"Okay then, what about the Justice League? Batman?"

"Don't you watch the news?"

"No. It's depressing."

"All League members are preoccupied fighting the League of Doom who've waged war on Qurac."

"See? Depressing."

She noticed the Commissioner's serious expression and continued.

"Ok, fine. I understand the significance of needing me. I just need to know one thing. "

"Yes?"

"Why are you helping?"

"The Stones haven't lost hope. Mr. Stone still believes his daughter is in the city. He has given me an address and I need assistance infiltrating and stabilizing the area without re-opening the case."

"I meant, why do you care so much that you're willing to risk your job by going against protocol, to help these people? This is _Gotham_, Ned. People don't care for each other here. "

"If you truly believe that then you're sadder than I thought."

She fell silent but continued to hold his gaze, calmly. He broke away first, placing the photos back into the folder.

"You help me with this, X. You help me this once and I will personally ensure all charges against you will be dropped. We will no longer be bound to arrest you on sight and you will be removed from the Wanted list. That's my offer. Do we have a deal?"

She studied him for a moment before nodding.

"Deal."

He removed her handcuffs, then proceeded to explain the plan. After ten minutes, X stood.

"Remember, be at the front gate of Gotham Harbor at nine tonight. The plan will commence from there. Don't be late."

She nodded, standing up. She paused in the doorway.

"You know, I still would've helped if you hadn't offered to drop charges."

He looked at her, before replying.

"Yeah, I know."

• • • • •

Gotham Harbor

Saturday, 24th February 2011

21:32

X picked up the unconscious man's arm and dragged him quietly into the farthest, darkest corner of the room. She then melted away into the shadows herself. She reappeared a minute later on the other side of the building's twentieth floor, the only witness being another man with an AK-47 who was knocked out before he could react. These were Gotham's seafood trading company's abandoned seafood trading offices. And they smelled terrible.

She went up and down the halls as she had on the previous floors below, opening every door and looking for anything that could suggest a hostage was there. Finally she noticed a light shining out from the bottom of the door at the end of the hallway. She approached quickly, about to reach for the door handle, when a click sounded behind her.

"Don't move," the voice said softly.

She ignored the order and turned around to face the man with a gun pointed at her head. It was the guy from the picture. He _was _involved.

"I said, don't move," he growled.

X smiled beneath her hood. Then, making a rude hand gesture, she jabbed him in the shoulders, making his consciousness fail as well as his limbs.

She entered the room. Lizzie was lying on grubby mattress on the floor. She looked slightly thinner but seemingly unharmed. Upon seeing X, she jumped up, immediately backing as far away as she could. It only then occurred to X, just how afraid this girl was.

Lizzie was shivering. Her hands were clasped together.

"Elizabeth, don't worry. I'm here to rescue you," she said calmly. X took a step forward. But the little girl moved back.

"Elizabeth, _please_. We don't have much time. Let me help you." X knew they didn't have long until someone realized that half the building was unconscious. But Elizabeth continued backing away, tears welling in her eyes. Her back touched the wall, so she moved into the corner, trying to escape. From X. She was afraid of X. Of the mask. She got an idea.

"Lizzie." X whispered, softly. "Lizzie, look. It's me. See, it's Keylee." She lifted her mask, and Lizzie's eyes widened.

"See? Nothing to be scared of. Just me. But you have to keep it a secret, okay? Just between you and me, okay?" She reached out towards the girl. "Do you want to give me your hand now? I promise. I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to see your Mommy and Daddy again. I promise."

Lizzie approached X warily, hesitating slightly before reaching out her hand and putting it in X's gloved palm. Lizzie was as cold as ice. X wrapped her fingers around the little girl's hand. She put her mask back on and looked into Lizzie's eyes.

"You're going to have to trust me, okay?"

Lizzie stared back with big blue eyes and nodded. X picked her up and Lizzie immediately clung to her like a monkey, legs around her waist and arms tight around her neck. She closed her eyes and hid her face in X's shoulder as the ninja ran from the room.

She sprinted down the corridors, finding the staircase quickly. She descended down the spiraling staircases, skipping two steps with every bound, all the while holding the girl who held on tightly around her neck.

She exited the building just as the alarm system went off. The red lights flashed and the blaring sirens turned on. She ran even faster. She was now going through the loading dock. She looked back and saw streams of light following them. The kidnappers were chasing them and they had flashlights. X jumped behind a pile of crates and cargo holders. She weaved in and out of the maze, eventually reaching the front gate of the Harbor. She pried Lizzie's hands from around her neck and handed her to Commissioner Gordon who had been standing by with a car. X looked back. She hadn't lost them. In fact, the light from their flashlights were getting closer.

She turned to the Commissioner.

"Turn on the engine now and they'll hear you. Wait until I get enough distance between you and them and then go."

He nodded and got into the car, seating Lizzie in the front and fastening her seatbelt. Lizzie looked back after X, worriedly. X just smiled reassuringly and then, giving a small wave, disappeared into the shadows.

They sat in a tense silence. Lizzie was clasping her hands again. Commissioner Gordon was watching the lights intently in his rear-view mirror. Eventually, they began to fade and were finally gone, meaning X was successful in diverting the crooks.

He turned on the ignition as quietly as he could and drove out of the Harbor slowly. He then floored the pedal and sped on to the Police Station, turning on the siren. X was left there all alone. She needed help.

• • • • •

Gotham Harbor

Saturday, 24th February 2011

22:01

After X had gotten their attention, she ran back towards the office building in an attempt to lead them as far away from Lizzie as possible. It worked. There were about twenty of them now. All armed, all shooting in her direction. She had to get out of their line of fire. She looked around. Nowhere to hide. She looked again and saw the fire escape on the side of the building. She ran at it, trying to hide in the shadows as much as she could as she began to climb up and up to the top…

• • • • •

Downtown Gotham Police Station

Saturday, 24th February 2011

22:03

Commissioner Gordon ran into the station, carrying Lizzie. He asked for medical attention immediately and was granted it. The Stones were there and both parents threw their arms around their daughter, both crying tears of joy.

But Commissioner Gordon's job was not done yet. He ran up to the roof and reached his destination. The control panel. He flicked the switch and a bright light shone from the glass in the roof into the black, cold sky, the silhouette of a bat formed in the clouds…

• • • • •

Gotham Harbor

Saturday, 24th February 2011

22:05

X had reached the top. She ducked out of sight, lying down on the roof's cold, flat surface. She was safe. A sudden bullet flying past her cheek told her otherwise. She had been spotted. She got up and ran to the door which would lead her onto the building's top floor. She flung it open, only to hear running footsteps coming her way. They were coming. She ran back to the fire escape. She stopped herself jumping over when she saw more men, climbing towards her as well.

She shrank back, farther away from the armed men who had now reached the top and climbed over the edge. They were closing in. She backed away, then stopped, realizing she was one step away from a thirty story drop. She looked down, looking for anything she could grab onto. A flag pole, a ledge, anything. Nothing. Smoke pellets weren't of use now either. She didn't have anywhere to hide. She was trapped.

They were close now. She breathed in and then out and got into a fighting stance. Like she once said. X would never go down without a spectacular, amazing, heart stopping fight. She readied herself. She was about to attack when suddenly, the one nearest to her fell backwards to the ground. He had been hit in the face with a boomerang. She looked left and right but no one was there. She heard a cough from above. She lifted he head and saw none other than the Dynamic Duo standing on top of a silent and hovering black jet.

"Need some help?" Robin asked, grinning.

"Took you long enough," she smiled back.

And with that, both heroes jumped down from the jet onto the roof and proceeded fighting all twenty armed criminals. X couldn't help but watch in awe, as both dodged the bullets smoothly in time with delivering their own blows. It was so clean and so fluid. They worked together in perfect sync, like two cogs in a well-oiled machine.

Regaining her wits, she jumped up and her foot caught one of the kidnappers in the face. That was the only one she managed to get. The rest were already out cold.

Now the three crime fighters stood together, victorious, as the twenty henchmen they had just defeated lay unconscious and drooling on the ground. The jet lowered itself and Batman got in, his protégée following in after him.

"The police will be here shortly. They can take it from here. X, get in."

Batman had said it so briskly, so abruptly it didn't half take her by surprise. Still, it wasn't every day she could ride in the Bat-Jet. She complied and the aircraft zoomed off with the speed of a bullet. She looked around the interior. All black. Black leather seats. Black controls and instruments. Very dark, gloomy but modern, suiting to the Batman nicely. They sat in silence until X broke it.

"So where are we going?"

Robin opened his mouth to answer but Batman spoke instead.

"To the Batcave. We are going to have a talk."

**AN:/ Thanks for all the reviews and story alerts and favorites! They really mean a lot to me so please, feel free to keep them coming ;)**

**Here's the link to my illustration:**

** ceceandrews. deviantart (.com)/ art/X-363856947?q=gallery%3Aceceandrews&qo=0 (****I'm annoyed at ff for making me do that :/)**

**And just a side note, "The League of Doom" has nothing to do with "The League of Shadows" or "The Injustice League". I just needed a non-important League name. It's doubtful that they'll make an appearance and they won't be a main part in the story. **

**Until next week!**


	7. Confessions of a Pothead

**Chapter 7 – Confessions of a Pothead**

The Batcave

Saturday, 24th February 2011

22:49

"Wow. I love what you've done with the place."

X had hopped out of the Jet and was now moving around the entrance of the cave. It was less impressive than what she had imagined it to be. In her mind the Batcave looked more like a secret headquarters rather than – well… an actual cave on the outskirts of the city.

Batman ignored her derisive tone and glided past her, moving farther into the cave. As his mentor was quickly swallowed by the shadows, Robin followed after, and beckoned her to do the same. She walked after him, eventually accepting that she had no idea where she was being taken nor when she would be able to see her hand in front of her face again. She was stopped when her face suddenly caught Robin's shoulder. He turned to her.

"Hey, watch it."

"I _can't_!" she snapped. "I know you're both guys of the night, but seriously, a light bulb or something wouldn't hurt. And _another_ thing. Will someone please tell me where we're goi-"

Batman had reached over to the cave wall and tapped a command into a keypad that hadn't been visible before. A beeping noise came from the metal door in front of them, effectively stopping her in mid-rant.

"Woah…" she breathed. "Now this is more like it!"

The door had slid upwards, out of sight, and the three crime-fighters filed in, the last one doing everything in her power to remain calm and conceal her awe. Robin, noticing her inner turmoil, began to snigger to which she merely glared. X then resumed looking around the Batcave. It truly was amazing. There were large screens across the stony walls and so many gadgets hanging on racks that it would've been easy to lose track of them all. But what truly made her want to squeal girlishly was the sleek, black car on the other side of the cave.

It was the Batmobile. She had dreamed this car. She and Tony both. And now she was seeing it up close. As she approached it, there was a small voice in the back of her head which scolded her. It made her feel guilty as it pointed out, both X and Keylee were effectively cheating on Shelby. The girl brushed the thought of her old Vespa away. Come _on, _it was the Batmobile!

X reached out a gloved hand towards the shiny black hood.

"Don't."

She froze, turning to Robin who had crept up behind her.

"I just wanna poke it," she explained, smiling. Her fingertips remained just centimeters away from the car.

"No one touches the car except for him." Robin indicated towards the Dark Knight with a tilt of his head. His mentor was currently sitting in front of one of the huge screens, his back turned towards them. Still, X felt as though he was watching. After a moment's thought and weighing of her priorities, she slowly detracted her hand, sliding it casually into her pocket. She then leaned in closer to the boy, whispering:

"You've never touched it either, have you?"

Robin shook his head, gravely, one eye still on the Batman who was typing away quickly at the computer.

"So where do you sit?"

"I have my own ride," he answered, pointing at the red and black motorcycle next to the car. He didn't sound proud and X couldn't blame him. Both Shelby and his shiny, new Ducati looked like wooden tricycles in comparison to the Batmobile.

"What would happen if you did touch it?" she mused aloud.

"He really likes his car so, quite frankly, I'd rather not know."

"He sure sounds like a fun guy…"

Her voice dropped off as a shadow loomed over both of them.

"X," the Batman said in his stoic monotone.

"Batman!" she beamed.

He ignored her mockery once again, continuing.

"We've been tracking you for some time, X. We know of your crimes-"

"Which -may I point out- I am no longer held responsible for. Commissioner Gordon has dropped me of all charges. You can't arrest me now and you know it."

"One thing you should know about me, X, is that I serve justice not the law. I arrest anyone whom I have good reason to believe deserves it, regardless of who they are."

A silence followed before she looked up into his eyes, searchingly.

"So why haven't you yet?"

"Because recently you've shown potential that you can be something better. That you can work for the greater good," he replied, as-a-matter-of-factly and she regained her cheeky grin once again.

"Oh, stop. You're making me blush!"

"_However,_ to become better, you require training. At the moment, you are running around, and you've become a danger to yourself and others."

"Have not!" she said, stamping her foot in indignation.

"Your display at Gotham Harbor not a half-hour ago speaks differently."

"I could've taken care of it."

"But you didn't. And that was where you went wrong. That was where you created a dangerous situation for yourself without a way out. At the moment you are too bold, too rash. You jump into situations without thinking first and while your intentions are admirable, we can help you improve."

"Mhm. And who's 'we'?"

"Myself, Robin and the Justice League. We are offering you a place on a covert team of young crime-fighters, formed by the League."

There was another pause as X crossed her arms, deep in thought. She then straightened up, shaking her head.

"Nope. Sorry. I don't _do_ teamwork. I work alone," she said simply.

"And how's that working out for you?" Robin rolled his eyes.

"Very well, thank you," she replied, still smiling, acting oblivious to the note of sarcasm in his voice. "I've managed to help make Gotham safer, kicked countless numbers of bad-guy butt and at the same time, been able to keep my identity a total secret."

Silence followed before Batman quietly walked up to the computer he was sat at previously and tapped a command into the keyboard.

"Your name is Keylee Hartwell," he said, as the photo from her I.D card came up on the screen. "You live at number fifteen Ellwood Place, Otisburg, Gotham City. You are currently the owner of a small business, Hartwell & Sons, which specializes in handy work and mechanics, left to you after your unc-"

"So you _have_ been stalking me!" X cut off the Dark Knight, rounding onto Robin huffily.

"Hey! I thought we established that the correct term is 'observing'!" he said, raising his hands up defensively though he was smirking smugly. X felt like slapping him, but she held back, instead, turning back to Batman.

"First Commissioner Neddy and now _you're_ blackmailing me? I can't believe you would stoop so low as to let out my identity just to force me into joining!"

Batman simply shook his head.

"I don't believe I ever suggested that, X. You made that assumption all on your own. I have no intention of revealing your identity. You are entitled to keep it a secret, should you wish to do so. It is your choice. My job is to protect people. I am merely demonstrating how easily anyone can learn who you are. In this way you are constantly in danger. That's where we come in. We can also ensure your safety. We can offer you greater protection. "

"I don't need it."

"You will eventually," Robin cut in. "X, if you keep going like this, you'll make enemies. Lots of enemies who won't rest until your dead."

"Already got one. Heard of Sorelli?"

"You don't get it. Sorelli's gone now but who's to say he won't want revenge. Who's to say that he'll just sit back and take being beaten by some kid?"

"_You're_ a kid, Bird brain."

He opened his mouth to answer back, but she cut him off, turning to Batman once again.

"So say, hypothetically of course, I take you up on the offer. What will I have to do?"

"You will be required to undergo two consecutive days of testing from which your skill will be judged by League members, myself included. This will tell us how soon we'll be able to start deploying you on missions with the rest of the Team. All tests will require both your physical and mental capabilities to be at their norm which is why drugs and alcohol are forbidden at all times."

"Aw, snap. And I was wondering when I could smoke that huge bag of weed I stole!"

"Drug addiction is no laughing matter."

"I bet it can be if you give me some." She wiggled her eyebrows but silence along with a stone-faced gaze was her only reply. Awkwardly, she straightened up, clearing her throat. "I mean, I don't do drugs or drink alcohol, sir!"

"Very well." He handed her a piece of paper. "We shall meet you next Friday at this address at 7am sharp. We expect you to be there promptly, dressed in uniform and with whatever you may need for a night's stay."

"Why can't I just go back home at the end of the day? And meet you again the next day?"

"Because we won't _be _in Gotham. And it's best for you to get to know the Team," Robin replied.

"So, X, will we see you there?"

"Yes. I'll be there."

• • • • •

"_Let's go. Move!" _

_The man pushed the three children out of the van, another pulling them along by the cuffs on their wrists. Jessica was one of them. The children were exhausted, their heads drooping while their feet dragged. _

_They were lead into a building and Jessica instantly knew she didn't like it. It smelled of hospitals. Jessica didn't like hospitals. The walls were painted white and the brightness hurt her eyes. She looked away. A line of children passed her. They were being led by a woman in a lab coat. They were all in white pajamas and they wore black collars. Jessica passed a little girl of about five at the end of the line who had fallen. No one helped her up. _

_She and two other children were guided by the man through mazes of corridors until they reached a door. It was opened and, without another word, Jessica was shoved in. The room was small and looked like a closet. There was a small white bed hanging off the wall and that was it. Nothing else. The door was slammed shut._

_Jessica sat down on the bed. She didn't know what to do. She could hear someone crying through the wall. Then a new voice, sobbing. And another. And another. Cries coming from every direction._

_But Jessica didn't cry. She picked her knees up, hugged them and began rocking herself. _

_Jessica was a big girl now. _

_She didn't cry._

_Not for herself. Not for anyone._

• • • • •

Gotham City

Friday, 2nd March 2011

06:59

"She's late," Batman stated, as his protégée kicked a can to the other side of the narrow alley they were standing in. The blue phone booth which would serve as the entrance to HQ was ready for zeta-beaming the guest.

"No, I'm not," was the indignant reply from above. She jumped down from the fire escape she had been perching on, to stand in front of the two heroes, backpack over her shoulder.

"I still have a minute to spare, Bats!"

"We should go now," he replied.

"Okay, sure. Where's our ride?"

"Already here."

Batman then moved ahead into the phone booth, closing the door behind him. A moment later the door opened again to reveal it had been emptied.

"Woah," was all X could say.

"You nervous?" Robin asked, smirking.

The girl raised an eyebrow at him.

"My only regret is leaving my cannabis at home, Wonder Boy."

He chuckled, masking any hint of uncertainty the noise could've carried. He then gestured towards the door.

"Ladies first."

"So why aren't you going?" X replied, not moving.

Robin rolled his eyes at her in exasperation before suddenly darting behind her and pushing her in. She stumbled forward and the turned to him, eyes flashing.

"You little shi-"

But he had slammed the door in her face and wiggled his fingers at her, mockingly. She felt the ground beneath her feet disappear for a split second and realized she had been teleported to a new location. She wobbled forward, slightly flustered from her first zeta-tube experience. She didn't know whether she liked it or not. She probably leant towards 'or not'.

Regaining her balance, X looked around the room. It bore a resemblance to the Batcave due to its rocky walls, however the lighting was of a higher standard. Here it was actually in use. The room itself was spacious with a large platform in the center from which holographic screens were projected into the air. Not that X was paying any attention to that. She was a bit preoccupied with the small group of individuals that had crowded on the platform. They all looked back at her.

"Robin, B01," a computer's voice echoed around the room, before he appeared behind her. X turned around and immediately flicked his forehead hard.

"Ow." He rubbed the spot.

"That's for pushing me," she explained, before diverting her attention back to the crowd.

"Um… Hi?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth, than did a green girl, whom X was surprised she hadn't noticed before, float up to her.

"Hi, I'm Megan!" she smiled cheerfully. "Welcome to Mount Justice."

Megan then began pointing at each member of the team, introducing them. She spoke to X with a tone as though they had always been the best of friends. It struck her as highly peculiar, but she held her tongue, instead nodding at each person in acknowledgement as their name was said.

"So you've met Robin. And that's Aqualad, Artemis, Superboy and-"

A red and orange blur later, X was nose to nose with a boy with red-hair, freckles and, it would seem, a hyper disposition.

"Hey, I'm Kid Flash. But, you know, you can call me Wally slash 'The Man of Your Dreams'. Whichever works for you really." He had said this so quickly that it took X a moment's confusion before her brain could make sense of what he said.

"You'll have to excuse Kid Mouth," Robin told her. "He's the only one on the Team who doesn't honor the personal space rule."

Wally however, just rolled his eyes, turning back to the girl.

"So what's your name?"

"X."

The speedster burst out laughing and continued doing so for another minute or two, not realizing that he was the only one it the entirety of the mountain who found this hilarious.

"That's funny," he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "But seriously, what is it?"

"X."

Kid Flash stopped chuckling abruptly.

"Oh, well… I- uh- I meant to say that – I uh- like it a lot," he said sheepishly.

"Nice going, Kid Idiot," snapped the blonde girl, whom X remembered to be Artemis. "You creeped out the newbie."

She elbowed him hard in the ribs.

"Stop, both of you. We are not making the best of impressions," Aqualad said, directing an apologetic look towards the girl.

But X grinned.

"It's fine. I think that was the best impression ever. I'm glad I won't be the weirdest person on the Team," she gestured at Wally.

"_If _you get on the Team," Robin said. "You still have the assessment to do."

"You're faith in me is encouraging, Wonder Boy."

"Robin's right," Batman agreed. "X, I'd like you to meet Black Canary, the Team's trainer, Red Tornado, the chaperone, Green Arrow, Flash, Aquaman and Wonder Woman. We shall all be your invigilators and we shall all have a say in whether or not you should join the Team."

"I'm honored that you took the time to give me an audience," she muttered sarcastically, but it didn't seem anyone was listening. Black Canary stepped forward, flipping her blonde hair her over her shoulder.

"So, X, let's start with hand-to-hand," she said, calmly. And then she attacked.

**AN:/ Thank you for the reviews. Keep it up! Thanks. **


	8. Can't Touch This

**Chapter 8 – Can't Touch This**

Mt Justice

Friday, 2nd March 2011

07:09

'_Oh crap-crap-crap-crap-crap!_'

X managed to back flip out of the way of Black Canary's kick, but took a blow to the shoulder in the process. She shook it, unsuccessfully trying to dismiss the pain.

"Hey, I wasn't ready," she called with a grin, trying not to come across as intimidated by the attacking superhero before her. "I think we should have a restart!"

Her eyes darted around the room and she realized the crowd of people had all gathered around the edge of the platform to watch the fight. It vaguely reminded her of History class when they were learning about Roman gladiators fighting in amphitheaters.

X's millisecond long distraction could've cost her a black eye, had she not dodged in the nick of time.

"Woah. That was uncalled for, don't you think? You could've just said no."

"Less talking, more sparring, X" Black Canary replied, forcefully. X received a sharp jab in her other arm, making her back away again.

"Come on, X. Focus!"

X dropped down into a crouch so that Black Canary's fist caught the air where her face had been a second ago. However, she was then forced to jump back up, bringing her knees to her chin, to stop Canary from bringing her feet out from under her. She made to jab at a pressure point on the woman's arm but was blocked immediately, and was pushed back again. She stumbled back, now on the very edge of the platform. She was panting, and could feel beads of sweat forming on her brow.

She admitted, albeit to herself, that this first assessment was getting very hard, very quickly. Black Canary could match if not surpass her speed with little effort, blocking X's attacks as though she could predict them. X couldn't even fit in a mocking remark as she had done with previous sparring partners. Granted, fighting Robin was somewhat difficult but doable. Fighting Black Canary was beginning to seem close to impossible and the girl found herself distancing farther away from the superhero's advances. She shook her head in disbelief. She was actually being forced to retreat. She wouldn't have it.

Deciding she had been on the defending side far too long, X steadied herself and took a sharp intake of breath. She sprung towards Canary, overcome with a sudden flush of aggression, kicking low at Canary's knees but the woman dodged, gracefully circling around the girl and catching her in the small of her back. X grunted, beginning to fall forwards but coming back up with a smooth forward roll. She turned back to Canary. The woman was standing, feet apart and crouching in a fighting stance, waiting. X breathed in and readied herself as well. Both opponents were now standing on the platform, watching each other intently. Everything had fallen silent in anticipation. Then, in a sudden burst of speed, X ran at Black Canary, sending out a flurry of different punches and kicks… but to no avail.

Canary finally decided to end the match by catching X's foot when the girl aimed a roundhouse kick at her head.

"Crap," X said just before Canary pushed her off balance and made her twist briefly in the air before falling flat on her back. A hologram appeared in the space above her head along with a loud buzz, both declaring a victory in Black Canary's favor.

"Give up?" Canary asked, peering over at X. The girl sat up, looking slightly dazed but she replied firmly all the same.

"Never." She smiled and Black Canary returned it.

"Not bad, kid. Not bad at all." Canary offered X a hand and X accepted it, rubbing the back of her head as she got up. She sighed finally coming to the conclusion that now she had taken up this 'hero' thing for a hobby, she'd be getting more black and blue marks than ever.

She got off the luminescent circle and approached the teenagers as Canary moved towards the other League members. They formed a slightly intimidating cluster as they left the room to discuss the matter in private. X tried to ignore this. That became surprisingly easy because the first thing to happen was that Wally zoomed up to her.

"Babe, that was awesome. Just want you to know, I can't wait for us to be sparring partners. You'll win every time." He winked, as he put an arm around her shoulders.

"Aw… Thanks, _babe_. I look forward to it." She beamed, though sarcastically, as she edged a few paces away from him.

"Ignore him. We've all come to understand that his brain isn't ever on speaking terms with his mouth," Artemis stepped in between them, ignoring the indignant "Hey!" from Wally.

"Anyway, X, nice going. You lasted pretty long with BC for a newbie."

"Yes, you did well," Aqualad agreed.

Robin, however, was smirking in his usual smug way.

"Yeah, way to choke, X."

"Oh I'm sorry, did you say something, Wonder Boy? I couldn't hear you over the sound of your own hypocrisy."

He just shook his head, grinning.

"Nah, I don't care what anyone says. You totally choked."

"Like you do every single time we have a face-off?"

"That sounds like a challenge to me."

"Probably because that's what it is, Bird Brain. What do you say? Just you and me, no weapons. Good old fashioned hand-to-hand."

"Fine by me. You wanna go right now?"

"Yeah I wanna go right now," she replied, both of them now nose to nose. "Right after you tell me where the bathroom is."

The silence was broken by Kid Flash snorting. Megan smiled helpfully.

"Down the hall and third door on your right," she said, pointing into the right direction. X, unfazed by everyone watching her, smiled back at the Martian.

"Thanks," she called over her shoulder as she left the room, leaving them in silence again.

"I like her," Megan said, after a moment. "She's nice."

"Yeah, she seems cool," Artemis agreed. "If she joins, I'm not gonna be the new girl anymore so I'm all for it."

"Well, _I _think-" Wally began.

"We all know what _you're_ thinking, doofus!" Artemis punched his arm. "You think the same thing about anything that moves."

"Conner, what do you think?" Megan interjected, floating up to Superboy. He just shrugged. This wasn't really going to affect him much. He didn't have an opinion. But upon seeing Megan's disappointed face, his own softened.

"I don't really care," he said, indifferently, though this was enough to let Megan's face split into a beaming smile. She then turned in mid-air, looking at Aqualad expectantly. The leader thought for a moment before answering.

"We have yet to know if the League agrees for her to join. We must see her other capabilities to make an informed decision. So I suggest, we do not make any judgments so soon in the process for there is still much about her to be discovered."

"Kaldur's right. X knows she's not on the Team yet and she knows she still has a lot more to do. We should just stay whelmed and not make a big deal out of it because right now, it isn't," Robin agreed.

Their talk was cut short by a sudden loud barking howl and a girl's shriek. The Team looked at each other before they dashed off to the source of the noise, all thinking the same thing.

"Wolf, no!" Megan yelled as she reached the door to the gym first. She stopped abruptly and the rest of the Team joined her in a stunned silence soon after.

The giant white wolf was sitting upright in the middle of the gym, looking extremely confused at the girl who was hanging from his neck and producing the girlish squeals.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a puppy!" she said to the Team before cooing at the overgrown canine. "_Ohmygod! _You are so cute!"

"Um… X, meet Wolf. Wolf, X," Robin said, scratching the back of his head, confusedly.

"Wolf… you are so adorable!" She began scratching him behind the ear, Wolf himself not sure whether to enjoy it or remain in his dumbfounded state. He chose the latter because he was unaccustomed to such a degree of any display of affection. X didn't seem to mind, continuing to coo at him.

They were interrupted as Batman came up from behind them.

"X, we shall continue with the assessments."

• • • • •

Mt Justice

Friday, 2nd March 2011

16:57

X dropped down onto her back, panting on the floor from the exercises she just had to perform. When Batman told her she would have to do a test for speed and stamina by running four miles non-stop on the treadmill, she had laughed as long as Wally had that morning when he had heard her name.

"And there was me thinking you didn't joke, Bats" she eventually managed to splutter through her laughter.

She definitely wasn't laughing now, having completed the run, the military-styled obstacle course and the archery practice in which she gave up on using the bow and arrow within minutes and threw her knife at the target in anger. It hit the center, inches away from where Robin' s surprised face was, so she was left feeling rather pleased with herself either way. Now, however, she was shattered. Every cell in her body screamed in protest every time she moved. She didn't know how long she could keep going. A small figure loomed over her with a crooked smirk plastered on his face.

"Get up, X. You're not done yet." Robin was having _way_ too much fun than was to her liking… and at her expense as well! She made note of using him for target practice more often.

"Today, I have exceeded the total amount of exercise I've done in my entire life. And I'm a superhero!"

"_Wannabe_ superhero," he corrected her.

"Here's what I say to that, Rob:" She blew a raspberry at him, her cheeks flushing to a darker shade of red. She turned onto her side, looking in Batman's direction. "He's doing this as some sadistic form of punishment, isn't he? This is his final serving of 'justice', isn't it?" she asked, her voice having taken up an accusing tone though still slightly breathless.

"Don't worry, I know how you feel. I had to do the same thing when I joined. Except, you know, the Team didn't watch." Artemis leaned over X as well, her long ponytail brushing over X's arm.

"Yeah, same here," Megan added. "Trust me, it's nearly over. All they're really trying to do is see how far you can go before collapsing. I needed two breaks when I did mine without my powers."

"See? The only thing that's different is that _you're_ special enough get an audience," Robin added, derisively, as she got up onto her feet. "And that we get free entertainment."

"Robin, to that, I repeat once again:" and X blew another raspberry. "So, shut up."

"Someone's cranky," he tutted.

"You are this close to being punched in the face. _This_ close."

"Oh good. You're playing nice," came a voice from behind them. Green Arrow smiled at the young heroes bickering. He found them amusing. "We're ready for your final test," he said to X. "Good luck."

"Thanks but I don't think I need it," she said, immediately straightening up and masking her exhaustion very well. She strode off to the next room as though she hadn't been lying on the floor complaining just moments ago. The room was extremely spacious and completely white. The door shut behind her and she was left standing, a little awkward, in the middle of the room.

Batman's voice suddenly rang through the speakers.

"X, this is the Simulator. We use this room for higher level fighting sequences against multiple attackers at once. This is your final assessment. You may begin."

Another door opened and a group of ten human-like robots filed in. They were all about three heads taller than her and had weapons attached to their arms. Lasers.

"Hold it! Hold everything!" she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth and yelling towards the ceiling. The androids stopped in mid-step.

"Yes?" Batman's voice boomed around the room.

"Lasers? Really?"

"They are set only to stun."

"Who _pays_ for all this stuff?!"

"X, may we begin?" he replied, in a bored tone.

"Okay, okay. Last question. Do these robots have anyone inside?"

"No."

"So I can trash them, right?"

"In a sense, yes."

"Oh-ho-ho, this is gonna be fun," she smiled, cracking her knuckles. "Okay, start it up, Bats!"

The robots continued walking towards her before one finally shot a laser beam in her direction. She smoothly slid underneath it before jumping up on top of its metallic shoulders and then, with swift reflexes, ripped off the android's head, having found the weak points in the neck's metallic structure. She continued doing so, with four more, jumping neatly from shoulder to shoulder, leaping off after the fourth one to hear a satisfying explosion behind her. X jumped at another and with a growling bellow of "X smash!", she grabbed an android's leg and propelled it into another. Six and Seven were now gone.

"Hulk can't touch this," she laughed, good-heartedly. She seemed to have forgotten she was in a training room and there were robots with lasers attacking her. X was now merely having a good time.

Eight and Nine stood either side of her, lasers pointed directly at her. The guns whirred noisily,and shot out bursts of light. X dropped herself calmly down to the ground, causing each of Eight and Nine's laser shots to hit the one opposite. The androids fell backwards, headless, and X rose back to her feet smugly. Androids were easy. _And_ fun. They were child's play in comparison to Black Canary.

"X, Focus!" The familiar shout from Canary bounced off the walls as it had been magnified, but it was too late. A laser shot past her cheek, missing her flesh by centimeters. A small lock of her hair, however, wasn't so lucky. She gasped as the inch-long black strand drifted to the floor. There was a pause as she turned slowly, her fists clenched, rage searing through her veins.

The glass of the mirrored window, from which the Team and the League members could observe the inside of the Simulator, shook. The heavy metal body of an android had been pushed, flying into it. Android Ten had broken completely upon impact, leaving the only one left in the room standing to be X. She stood there, teeth gritted and breathing heavily. She then pointed in deadly warning at Ten's head which had rolled slightly away from the rest of its body.

"No one touches my hair."

• • • • •

Mt Justice

Friday, 2nd March 2011

18:49

X came out of the changing rooms, drying her wet hair with towel. She had changed out of her uniform and was now in a red sweater with the usual black ribbon Keylee wore around her neck, jeans and scuffed, black converse. She still wore the mask. She headed into the bedroom which Megan had shown her after she had completed the final test. It was bigger than Keylee's by far, hers only just being able to squeeze in a single bed, a chest of drawers and little wardrobe.

This new room matched the rest of the mountain with its rocky walls, however was very nicely furnished. It was complete with a double bed, a fairly sizable wardrobe, a couple of bedside tables with lamps and an armchair. She could get used to this.

She sat on the bed, looking around. She was tired but the shower had relaxed her. Now she had an open curiosity about the rest of the mountain. She wanted to go explore. Tying her hair into a ponytail, X went to the door.

She stopped abruptly when she opened it as Megan was standing at the door, fist raised about to knock. The Martian backed away sheepishly, cheeks turning as red as her hair.

"Oh… hi. Um… I was about to ask- I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with us or something," she said, rubbing her arm shyly.

"Yeah, sure, Megs" X smiled. It was strange talking to someone from another planet. Cool but strange. They set off the hallway, Megan leading. X decided now was the perfect time to make small talk.

"So, Megs, how did you get on the Team?"

"Oh, I was brought back from Mars as my Uncle J'onn's protégée. He's –"

"Martian Manhunter," X finished. "That is majorly cool. What's Mars like?"

"Colder. And redder," Megan chuckled. "It's actually, too cold on the surface so we all live underground. That's why humans didn't know we existed for so long."

"Yeah, I remember that from science class. So, I know you can fly, which is way awesome, by the way. Can you do other stuff like Manhunter?"

"I can kinda density-shift and move through walls. I can also shape-shift."

"Really?"

"Mhm." She nodded, suddenly shrinking in size, green skin turning lightly pink and red hair going black. Her clothes changed into a red sweater, jeans and black converse and her eyes became covered by a mask.

"Woah." X walked around- well… herself. "Impressive. You got me right down to my freckles."

"Thanks," Megan beamed, shape shifting back to herself. "I can also move objects with telekinesis and read minds."

There was a pause where X didn't reply.

"Don't worry, though. I know here on Earth things are different. I'm not going to read your mind," Megan added, reassuringly.

"Thanks. It's nothing against you, it's just- yeah."

"No worries."

Both girls entered the living room where the rest of the Team was sitting, all changed out of uniform and in civvies. Artemis was at the kitchen counter, eating a granola bar while Robin and Superboy were playing a video game. Well, Robin was playing. Superboy was pushing random buttons and every so often accidentally pausing the game or restarting the level. Wally was unsuccessfully coaching him from the side, eventually snatching the console out of Superboy's hands and continuing the game against Robin himself. Superboy didn't seem to mind though, preferring to watch. Aqualad was sitting in the armchair next to the couch, he turned and gave X and Megan a small smile.

"Good evening."

"Hi, Aqualad," X smiled back.

"When we are off duty, please, call me Kaldur."

"Oh, okay, Kaldur."

"You know _my_ name, babe" Wally called from the couch, not tearing his eyes away from the TV screen.

"I sure do, Wallace," X winked.

Artemis snorted at the breakfast bar as a small _ding!_ sounded from the oven.

"The cookies are done!" Megan flew over excitedly to the oven and made the tray of cookies float out onto the counter. She then turned to X. "So, X, would you like a tour of the mountain while they cool down?"

"Yeah, that would be awesome."

About a half-hour later, X had been wowed by the Bioship and voiced herself impressed by the Team's store of vehicles. The Team re-entered the living room, this time with Wolf in tow. X was stroking his head and he looked less confused than he had done that morning. Instead, he just curled at the foot of the couch and allowed her to chuckle fondly.

"Never would've pegged you as such an animal lover," Robin said to her as Wally and Kaldur resumed the video game.

"Just goes to show how inefficient stalking really is."

He narrowed his eyes. "_Observing_."

"Did I miss something, here?" Wally interjected.

"The cookies are ready!" Megan called, distracting all of them. Wally immediately zoomed to the plate of cookies on the counter, getting his first helping of five.

"White _and_ milk chocolate chip? Babe, you rock my world," he spluttered through a mouthful of cookie, looking at Miss Martian.

"Well, don't I feel insignificant now," X said, smiling.

"Don't take it to heart. I'm a simple guy with simple needs. Feed me and I'm yours," he grinned cheekily.

"It's too bad I can't cook then," X replied, sighing mockingly. "Oh, and to think if I could have, I would win a prize as alluring as you." She gestured at the boy who now had crumbs and melted chocolate dribbling at the corners of his mouth.

"Well, maybe we can make an exceptio-" he began before Robin interrupted.

"_Anyway_. X, truce for now. You _have_ to try Megan's cookies," he stood up and picked two off the plate. He handed one to her. X raised it to her mouth and bit into it.

"Oh. My. God." Her eyes widened as she chewed the cookie, slowly savoring the taste.

"I know, right?" Wally nodded, accidentally spraying Artemis, whom at that moment was next to him, with crumbs and spit. With a yell of disgust, she put her own half-eaten cookie on the table and then jumped at him. He yelped and fell off the couch as both began wrestling on the floor. Artemis came out of the struggle victorious, pinning him to the ground. Before she could take further action, she was stopped by Kaldur.

"Enough," he said firmly and that was enough to stop their yelling. X wasn't paying attention. She was too busy enjoying the cookie she had now decided was created by angels. She stayed awestruck, taking another bite. As soon as the cookie touched her tongue, it melted into a sweet, velvety, gooey flavor of mouthwatering deliciousness.

"Megs, this is amazing. Oh my god, I feel like my taste buds have died and gone to heaven. This is just- wow. Wally has definitely got some competition now."

Megan smiled shyly, her cheeks flushing pink.

"You think that's good, wait till you try her dinner," Superboy added, making Megan blush into a deeper shade of scarlet. X smiled at him, as she picked up the pile of plates on the counter. She then began helping to set the table.

"I feel at home already."

• • • • •

Mt Justice

Friday, 3rd March 2011

07:05

The morning's wakeup call was by far more annoying than anything Keylee's alarm clock could muster. A loud siren sounded around the mountain for a good minute or so, waking up the entire mountain. That wasn't the annoying part though. Oh no, not by a long shot. Only five minutes after X had put her pillow over her head and had gone back to sleep, did she feel herself being poked in the side. She ignored it at first but the pokes got more persistent. She sat up, bits of her hair sticking up at odd angles while the rest created a messy curtain over her face.

"Get. Out," she growled, eyes still narrowed with sleepiness as well as irritation. Robin, who was standing over her already in uniform, just shook his head, keeping his finger poised, ready to poke again.

"No. The alarm is for everyone. You have to get up."

She looked at him through the jungle of hair in her face, mimicking him by shaking her head as well.

"Hm… No. I'd rather not."

"Quit being difficult."

"Funny. That's also what the Commish told me."

"Think you're ever going to take the hint?"

"Never."

"Hey, X."

"Yeah?"

"You're awake."

"I _am,_" she agreed, grudgingly. "Damn you."

Robin laughed as he left the room.

"Get up and get ready. We're all waiting for you," he called over his shoulder.

X waited, listening as his footsteps faded away, before getting out of bed with a groan. She looked in the full-length mirror that hung on the door of the wardrobe and grabbing her hairbrush from her backpack, began to tame her unruly tangle of hair. She brushed, the final strands out of her masked eyes. Admittedly, it was weird sleeping with a mask on. She lifted it slightly to see a small red crease had appeared on her cheek where the edge of her mask had been. Oh well. She would feel calmer taking it off when she got on the Team.

_If _she got on the Team. Robin's words kept ringing in her head and paranoia had begun to kick in. What if she didn't? What if they sent her away? A 'sorry but we think you're just not right for this job' kind of thing? Would that stop her?

"No," she muttered, slipping into her uniform. "No, it wouldn't."

She walked out of the room, going through the kitchen which was still messy from the previous night's dinner. She walked into Mission room where she had fought Canary this time the previous morning. The whole Team was there as well as yesterday's Leaguers.

"Good Morning!" X allowed her face to split into a grin, mentally preparing herself for what was coming. Ready to laugh no matter the outcome. She didn't care. That's what she told herself.

Batman stepped forward.

"X, you have completed all the assessments and after long discussion, the Justice League has come to a final decision."

**AN/ I'm very, truly and utterly sorry for not updating last week. Real life always gets in the way! Anyway, thanks for the reviews and favorites as well as just reading the story, of course. Don't forget to keep it up as it lets me know you like what you see (or gives me something to work on). Hopefully, I shall see you next weekend!**


	9. Anger Management

**Chapter 9 –Anger Management**

Santa Prisca

Saturday, 12th March 2011

11:32

"Any more bright ideas, Rob?" Kid Flash wriggled against his bonds, nudging Aqualad in the process. The movement made the four boys gently swing from side to side from the chain that continued to lower them head first into the giant vat of bubbling chemicals. The heat was beginning to have an effect on Aqualad as he became more and more breathless with every inch that they drew nearer to the pit of boiling Kobra-Venom. He turned his head to Superboy, whose own head still hung limply from his shoulders, having taken some crushing blows from two massive genomorphs. A drop of spit fell from the corner of his mouth and fell into the lime-green liquid. A geyser suddenly erupted from where the drop had hit, missing their heads by inches. As soon as it had subsided, Kid Flash, who was on Aqualad's left, turned his own gaze to Robin again.

"Seriously, nice going," he glowered, humorlessly.

"Shut up, KF."

"No, I won't. How can you do that and just expect us to follow your lead? We're not Batman!"

"Hey, I'm not the one who ran off because he _might _have smelt a hotdog _thirty _stories below the ground."

"And _I'm_ not the one who disappeared into the shadows like a weirdo and expected the rest of the Team to magically find him!"

Robin opened his mouth to retort but Aqualad had had enough and intervened.

"Please. I am not able to reach Miss Martian. I fear we are too far away from the girls. So, we must now focus on the problem at hand. It does not matter who is to blame. All that matters now is that we are able to escape and complete this mission."

The two boys fell silent for a moment before giving a grudging "Fine," in unison. They swayed quietly, the chain not ceasing to lower them closer to the bubbling, frothing liquid.

Suddenly, they heard two sharp yells and then a couple of loud thuds, just before the large metal doors at the head of the room opened. A shadow rushed in, catching their attention.

X nodded at the hanging boys with an amused twinkle in her masked eyes as she approached the control panel and began to push commands in with Robin's directions. The other three boys hung in silence before Kid Flash burst out.

"Any time today would be good."

X looked up at him, an entertained smirk on her face and a raised eyebrow apparent behind her mask.

"Now, now, patience is a virtue. I'm doing this as fast as I can."

Kid Flash looked at her for a moment, before dropping his head and grumbling under his breath, while Robin continued instructing X on what to do. Finally, she typed in the last command and pushed a button, the chain stopped lowering, though they were still suspended upside down above a stew of chemicals. KF regained his voice.

"Seriously, what took you so long?!"

"I'm not sure I care for your tone, Freckles."

"We could've _fried!_"

"You ever heard the phrase 'Beggars can't be choosers"? Look it up," she replied huffily.

"Please pay no attention to Kid Flash's mood. He is not himself today," Aqualad played his role of peace keeper once again, though his own tone was becoming slightly edgier along with his growing discomfort from the heat. "Could you please get us down?"

"Of course. No problem," she beamed, directing her attention back at the controls before her.

"Okay, slight problem," she said after a moment of fruitless staring. "I have no clue how to do that."

"Try the button on your left," Robin helped. "You know, the one that has the word 'Eject' written on it."

She misunderstood his tone for one of derision. She glared at him but pushed the button all the same. Nothing happened. She pressed it again. Nothing.

Pressed it again.

Nothing.

Again.

Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

X was becoming all the more aggravated with every passing minute that the button didn't work. She bent down under the control panel to see if there was any wiring she could use to disengage the crane manually. No such luck. Instead she heard a shout from Robin.

"X, look out!"

But it was too late. X felt two giant hands grab her by the ankles and pull her out from underneath the table, hitting her head against the edge in the process. Now _she_ was suspended by an extremely tall, bulky man with biceps that would put even Popeye to shame. His face was covered by a ski mask, with three holes. Two for his eyes and one on top of his head for a- X snorted.

"Nice ponytail, Ponytail," she began to snigger.

Her mockery stopped abruptly when she had to lift herself up to her knees so that his giant fists didn't catch her nose.

"That's not very nice," she muttered, lifting herself again and poking Ponytail in the eye. He bellowed in pain, dropping her as if she were a white-hot curling iron.

_No doubt for his ponytail_, X chuckled to herself.

X fell down into a roll, running to the control panel again, hurriedly pushing in new commands to set her teammates free.

"X!" Aqualad shouted, as the girl quickly dropped down underneath the recovered Ponytail's swiping arm. She jumped back up, quickly pressing another button before dodging yet another blow.

"Forget about us. Do not lose focus!" Aqualad coached, but he was becoming breathless, his skin was drying, and his vision beginning to blur.

X nodded and stepped back, turning to face Ponytail. She had to make this quick.

"Okay, let's finish this," she told him, cracking her knuckles. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?"

And then she lunged at him, kicking at his knees.

X's battle with the giant had commenced, while the boys swayed awkwardly from side to side, watching.

"Okay, we gotta get out of this," Robin said to the other two, Superboy still unconscious.

"And how do you propose we do that? At the moment, all we're doing is swinging," KF snapped, but made Robin's eyes light up.

"That's it! Both of you, swing yourselves to the left on my signal… Now!" Aqualad and Kid Flash obeyed and they moved slightly to the left.

"Okay, swing to the right… Now!" They did as they were told and they swung themselves to the right. If this was going to work then the eventual resultant force would break the top links in the chain, and free them.

"Left!"

"Right!"

"LEFT!"

"RIGHT!"

A sigh escaped Superboy's chest as he came to, lifting his head and blinking confusedly at the now violently swaying world.

"Wha- What's happening?"

"No time for explanations, Supey. _Wiggle!_" KF shouted, as the chain now swung them like a pendulum, higher and higher with every oscillation.

X, had, by now, realized that her previous hypothesis was incorrect, as her opponent was proving difficult to beat. She had assumed she could use Ponytail's strength against him, his size making him slower to react to her attacks. However, she had gotten a nasty surprise when he parried her attack as quickly as she was to initiate it and still managing to deliver a cracking blow to her stomach. She flew through the air, her breath knocked out of her. X quickly recovered, a little shaky, as she landed in a hand spring on the ground and then onto her feet.

The reunion between her feet and the ground was short lived as, with an angered roar, Ponytail grabbed her by the waist, constricting X's arms and squeezing, slowly suffocating her. Her hood fell back, as she gasped for air.

"You can put me down any time now, Ponytail," she informed her captor, but he just squeezed all the more. She could feel her bones groaning, as she smiled through the pain. "Is it too late to say I don't like hugs?"

The room was blurring as her breaths became shallower. Just as she was about to surrender herself into the what now seemed to be the most inviting inescapable dark abyss of unconsciousness she'd ever seen, something amazing happened. The giant arms that were squeezing the life out of her were gone.

She dropped to the ground, gulping the air hungrily. The room was spinning and she barely registered what happened. X regained her breath and stood up, wobbling a little. She looked and saw Superboy punching Ponytail away. She then turned to see Robin and Aqualad both on the ground, helping Kid Flash remove the last chain off his shoulders.

"Need some help?" Robin smiled.

"What took you so long?" X returned the smile, though there was a slight edge in her voice when she looked at KF, not completely forgiven him for his previous behavior. Superboy rejoined them, having left his unconscious opponent lying flat on his face in a corner of the room. X turned to Aqualad.

"Miss Martian and Artemis are standing by on the surface."

"We need to find my USB first. The system's information I downloaded was on it. They took my gadgets away before they tied us up," Robin interjected.

"You mean, _these_ gadgets?" she smiled, producing his gloves and belt as well as Aqualad's sword handles from her backpack.

"Thanks. How did you get them back?"

"You're talking to an ex-criminal mastermind and part-time thief, Wonder Boy. Stealing them back from the guards outside was _way _too easy."

"We must take care of the guards, lest they bring attention to our escape," Aqualad pointed out, gesturing towards the snoring Ponytail as well as the two henchmen outside the room.

A few minutes later, three men were sitting around one of the room's four pillars, bound tightly with the chain. X, Aqualad, KF and Superboy stood back for a brief moment to admire their handy work.

"Okay, I got a sample," Robin said, pocketing the small vial of the Kobra-Venom he had carefully collected from the tub.

"Let's go." Aqualad agreed, as he, Superboy and KF rushed out the room. It was then that Ponytail woke up and began shouting loudly. X tried to shush him, to stop him from getting them any unwanted attention as Aqualad had pointed out, but it was no good.

"That guy's not whelmed," Robin said, pausing at the door before throwing a bird-a-rang at the man. It exploded upon contact with his mouth, releasing a sticky white foam, silencing his yells and growls by gluing his lips together.

"It washes out!" Robin called, as they ran out of the room.

"Not bad, Wonder Boy," X complimented, receiving a wide smile from him.

"Why thank you, X. You did well t-"

"Will you two stop flirting?! Let's go!" Kid Flash looked at X expectantly.

"You know the way out?" she asked. "Because I sure as hell don't,"

"Then how did you-"

"I sorta snuck in via giant crate," she nodded towards the remnants of what appeared to have been a goods crate next to an over-turned trolley. Pieces of wood and Styrofoam were all over the floor. "Security was air tight, Megan's still a bit shaky about her camo-mode and I was the only one out of the girls who was -uhm- _vertically challenged_ enough to fit."

KF gave her an agitated look before hurrying off towards the other side of the hallway.

"Is he always this annoying?" she asked Robin as they all continued down the long halls.

"Pretty much," he laughed.

"This way," Kaldur shouted, as they all rounded a corner. He fell silent but it became obvious why when Megan's voice rang in all of their heads.

"Link established, Aqualad. Has X reached you?"

"Yes, we are on our way out."

"Artemis and I are standing by to clear an exit for you. Just give us your location."

"That's the thing, M'gann. We don't know. It's a maze down here. We were all unconscious when we were brought in." Superboy replied as they reached a dead-end.

"And _someone_ decided to get _carried_ in," Kid Flash added, glaring at X. She rounded on him in retaliation.

"What's you're damage? You weren't like this yesterday."

"Hm, I don't know. I was just captured for the second time this month by murderous psychopaths in lab coats and was nearly boiled alive in chemicals! Forgive _me_ if I'm not a usual bundle of joy!"

She studied him for a long moment before her face split into a knowing smile. She folded her arms.

"You're hungry, aren't you?"

"More than you could ever know," he replied. "Plus, Cap Marvel ate all my snacks."

X gave him a complacent nod.

"I'm sure Megs has rustled something up for us," she reassured, making KF's face light up.

"I wonder what it is. Ooh I hope it's her lasagna! No wait, her mac & cheese with smoked bac-"

"Now is not the time for discussing dinner plans. Focus, both of you," Aqualad ordered, making them both nod apologetically. KF dashed off into another direction to look for a way out while X shrugged, lazily turning her head up to look at the ceiling. The metal grate caught her eye.

"Uhh… Guys, we got company." KF had come up behind them, looking sheepish. "I might have accidentally gotten their attention." Sure enough they could hear the thundering of heavy boots not far from where they were. Everyone turned to Kid Flash, exasperated.

Robin was suddenly caught off guard when he felt X's weight on his back and then her boots on his shoulders.

"Hey! What are you-?"

A heavy metallic groan sounded above him, before X jumped off of him, throwing the grate onto the floor. She didn't land with it though. He looked towards the ceiling and saw her shimmying up the vent, quickly climbing over a ledge. She reached her hand down, and helped him up as well.

"A simple 'Give me a boost' would have been nice," he grumbled, helping to pull KF up next, then Aqualad. Superboy picked up the grate and jumped up the vent last, closing it beneath him. The teammates then proceeded crawling through the vents, led by X. She crawled quickly and silently through the cramped tunnels, easily weaving in and out through the occasional pipes and hard turns.

"You seem to know where you're going," Robin pointed out from behind her, after X had chosen another tunnel out of a choice of three.

"Tons of practice," she replied.

"Oh? Like when?"

"You know how they say 'diamonds are a girl's best friend'? I disagree. I think the vents that lead her _to _the diamond are."

They reached the end of the tunnel, X kicking out the grate, and dropping out of the vent. Robin followed, landing on the same ledge as her. They were now in a very wide elevator shaft.

"And now, we go up."

Kid Flash jumped to the ledge opposite them and then began to leap from one ledge to another, practically running at 180 degree angles. Superboy jumped out of the vent as well, matching one giant leap to three of KF's, with Aqualad holding onto him.

Robin took his grappling hook gun from his belt and shot it skywards. It hooked onto the end of the elevator shaft, as the gun retracted, ready to pull him up. Robin reached his hand over to X's waist, in an attempt to propel them out together. She snorted and pushed him away, folding her arms.

"No way, Wonder Boy."

"Sorry, X. I didn't realize you'd learnt to fly," he replied acidly.

"You've got to be kidding me. I am _not_ being carried."

He stared at her in exasperation, shaking his head and looking searchingly in all directions. He turned his head back to look at her now grinning smugly and gesturing to the space below them.

"_Fine._ Stay down here with the giant, deadly elevator coming right at you."

Sure enough, the elevator was fast ascending, almost crushing them had they not been propelled up by Robin's grappling gun, X having immediately grabbed his waist with a yelp. Reaching the top, Robin swung himself and X out of the elevators path through the already pried open doors – No doubt due to Aqualad and Superboy. They had reached the surface, the ground floor of a small, long-deserted lab. He tried to get up, but something was restricting him.

"X? You can let go now," he said, and X immediately dropped her hands to her sides, reopening her eyes and not letting her relief that they were alive, show. She glared at his self-satisfied expression.

"Never speak of this," she said, to which his smirk merely widened.

Both heroes sped after the rest of the Team into the sunny rainforest outside. The Martian Bioship was waiting for them, with the rest of the Team standing outside. Upon seeing them, the Team hurried into the ship, except for X who got distracted.

"Hey! Cool flower!" She picked it quickly off the ground, carefully putting it into her backpack.

"X!" came six shouts from the Bioship.

"Okay, okay," she huffed, boarding the spacecraft. No sooner had she managed to get buckled into her seat, than the ship had taken off. As soon as they had reached air space, everyone sighed, lying back against the seats, shattered after the mission.

"Okay, so that was definitely another Cadmus lab," Kid Flash said, swiveling his seat to the rest of the Team.

"Yeah, it looked the same from the inside," Superboy added.

"Not to mention their system's firewall was exactly the same. I didn't even have to _try_ hacking this time." Robin flicked through the files he had projected from his gloves into the air. He then looked up, turning the hologram off.

"You know what this means, right? It wasn't just the one lab in Washington. If there's this one then there's a pretty good chance that there are more dotted around."

"Agreed," Aqualad replied. "We shall inform Batman of our findings and search for any likely locations that may be playing host to more Cadmus labs."

"One Cadmus has an entire army of genomorphs . If there are more, whoever is in charge would be the most powerful person on the planet." Superboy looked out the window, almost pretending he hadn't contributed to the conversation.

"The weird thing is they started using Kobra-Venom on the genomorphs," Kid Flash said.

"But why would they start giving their already super-powered genomorphs extra muscle power that they don't need?" X wondered aloud.

"Yes, they must be spending a lot on it if they have multiple labs, benefiting the dealers as well as the themselves." Megan nodded, calmly steering the ship to a higher altitude.

"Isn't Kobra-Venom like the top manufactured steroid in Santa Prisca though?" Artemis asked.

"It _is_ possible that the Venom was used exclusively in this lab," Robin agreed. "Top known dealers and active users of the stuff are the entire Cult of the Kobra and more famously, Bane."

"And where is he now?"

"He's off the radar at the moment," Robin said, drawing up a mug shot of a man with tan skin and a wrestler's mask covering his face. "Last time we saw him, he was in Mexico trying to form an illegal trade route for his Venom to get all the way to Chicago."

"We must be sure to tell all this to Batman," Aqualad repeated. "For now, great work, Team."

The Team smiled at their leader, all going back into a comfortable silence as they flew to Mt. Justice. Artemis then turned to X.

"So, how'd your first mission treat you?"

• • • • •

Gotham City 

Saturday, 12th March 2011

14:57

"… and complete failure to grasp the meaning of 'reconnaissance'," Batman said, harshly, making the teenagers drop their heads. "However, you performed adequately in light of events. Well done."

The Team looked at each other, each smiling proudly. Compliments from Batman were rare. Very rare.

"Hit the showers and go home," he finished, turning on his heel and walking out of the cave.

Wally immediately ran up in between X and Megan, placing an arm over each of their shoulders.

"Hey, Keylee. Sorry for snapping before. That was totally uncool. Anyway, I can make it up by taking you and Megan to the movies."

X looked at him and snorted, taking off her mask and heading to the locker room.

"Sorry, Freckles. You're going to have to take someone else. I have stuff to do."

"Oh really? What?" Megan asked, looking slightly disappointed.

"I promised my guardian I'd see him after the mission. Sorry guys, I'll be back tomorrow for training after Earl and me open up shop. You could all watch a movie here together though," she suggested, slyly.

"Yes!" Megan smiled, floating over to the television. "It will be a lot more fun if there are more of us!"

Wally gave Keylee a betrayed look. She had foiled his plan. She shrugged, blowing him a mocking kiss and wiggling her fingers, as she went into the locker room to change.

• • • • •

Gotham City 

Saturday, 12th March 2011

16:35

She stopped Shelby outside the wrought iron fence, looking up at the plaque that hung over the entrance. Throwing her backpack over her shoulder, she strode past the entrance into the cemetery. Keylee walked through the all too familiar graveyard, passing the deserted tombs as she went. She remembered the day well.

_It rained the day of the funeral. Not a light drizzle but a heavy shower. So heavy that the minister had to yell over the howling wind to make himself heard as the coffin was lowered. The weather made it seem like the world was grieving alongside her. She stood above the opening, watching as her uncle's coffin was lowered into the ground. But she wouldn't cry. She couldn't cry even if she wanted to. Her grief had now gone past the point of tears. Nothing made sense anymore. She had frozen. Her world turned mute and numb. She couldn't see or hear or feel. _

_After the police officer stopped her, she allowed herself to be taken outside where she was instantly given a blanket. She didn't need it. She wasn't shivering. She couldn't feel the cold. _

_She was told she was in shock. She didn't say that that part was obvious. She kept silent, everything a complete blur. Nothing was to make sense in this new world. _

_Everyone turned up. Everyone who mattered anyway. Earl and Danny kept their distance, allowing her to have her moment of weakness before the grave. They watched her warily, ready to step in as soon as she needed them. She remained still, just staring into the ditch. _

_The Stones were there too. Mr Stone put a consoling hand on her shoulder wearing a solemn expression. Upon seeing her, Mrs Stone threw her arms around Keylee's neck while Lizzie gave her hand a small squeeze. _

_Vinny came as well, towering over everyone in the small party, a dark, shadow in a black suit with a cane, his hat held to his chest. He paid his respects and once the grave had been filled, silently limped forward, placing a wreath of white roses before the headstone. He patted the girl's shoulder sympathetically before slowly walking away. _

_With time that passed, the rain only poured down harder and the guests began to leave. Keylee remained where she had stood for the whole service. She had lost count of how many times she had read the words on the headstone. _

_Here Lies_

_Anthony C. Hartwell_

_A Good Man_

Keylee sat down cross-legged, in front of the gravestone, brushing the letters with her fingertips. It had been four months since Tony had gone. Four months since X had committed her final crime. Four months was a long time and much had changed since then.

She took out the red and white flower X had found on the mission, carefully placing it atop the newly grassy patch of soil. She looked around but the cemetery remained deserted. She was the only one visiting today. She glanced at the words, neatly engraved into the stone and gave a small smile.

"Hey, Tony. So, you're not gonna believe what me and the Team did today."

**AN:/ Apologies for missing the deadline _again_. I have a week of relentless studying to do and then two more weeks of exams so please bear with me if I'm late with updates. I'm really happy you have taken a liking to my story and please feel free to review because, believe it or not, any form of feedback (as long as it isn't random hate) means a lot to me. Hopefully, I'll see you next week!**


	10. Of Wobins and X-eys

**Chapter 10 – Of Wobins and X-eys**

_Jessica woke up with her head hurting. She looked around the tiny room. Just a wall opposite her, one on her right and a metal door with no handle on her left. She had been woken up by a loud siren. Suddenly the door with no handle slid upwards. Jessica peered out of her room into the hall._

_It was long and white like the rest of this hospital. She thought it was a hospital. Jessica wrinkled her nose. It smelled like one. Why did Mommy send her to a hospital? Was Jessica sick? Jessica didn't feel sick. _

_More heads began to peer out their own doors. They were children like her. A lot of them had very short hair. Except one. There was a little girl with long blonde hair that hid her face. It was the little girl Jessica had been brought here with. The girl from the van. A noise made Jessica look up. _

'_Psssst! Hey you."_

_It was the boy from the van. Jessica peered at him as he mouthed words at her. Jessica understood. _

'_Where are we?" he hissed. Jessica shrugged._

_Suddenly, a door at the end of the hall burst open. A tall woman in a lab coat walked in. Her hair was scraped back into a bun and the heels of her shoes made sharp, harsh clicks on the white tile floor. _

"_Good morning, children. Get to your stations." Her voice was sweet. Too sweet. Like a doctor's before they gave you a shot. Jessica started to feel queasy. She gulped. Maybe she _was_ sick. _

"_Annie Carmichael. Peter McKinley. Jessica Wilson. Stay where you are."_

_When the other children filed out, the woman gestured to Jessica, and the girl and boy from the van._

"_This is your home now. You will stay here. You will follow the rules. If you break the rules you will be punished. Do I make myself clear?" It scared Jessica how the woman smiled. It never reached her eyes. The children all nodded, dazed._

"_Follow me." _

_The woman in the lab coat led them down more white halls. None seemed familiar though all looked the same. Jessica couldn't remember the way she came. Her head still hurt. The smell wasn't helping. It was sharp like the sound the woman's heel's made with every step. It was sterile like a hospital. Mommy never liked the hospital either. _

_They reached the end of the hallway, now standing before another large metal door. The woman tapped a code into the keypad on the wall. The door was raised to reveal a dark room. Jessica didn't like the dark._

"_New arrivals from yesterday," the woman directed into the shadows. _

"_Get in," she told the children. Jessica felt herself fall into someone's grip as she was shoved into the room. Another woman in a lab coat. She looked left. Peter was being led away into the room by a man. Annie was too. Jessica looked back at the smiling woman but the door had already closed. _

• • • • •

Hartwell & Sons

Saturday, 19th March 2011

08:32

Keylee's fists clenched upon seeing the commotion outside. She stormed out the door, towards the crowd of giggling girls standing outside the open garage.

"Danny! Get your butt back in here! We're running a business, not a photo shoot!"

It was true that Gotham was experiencing a minor heat wave that day, but her work colleague had taken it to extremes. After all, this was a heat wave by Gotham's standards, warm enough to wear jeans and a t-shirt but still way too cold to whip your shirt off completely as he was doing, and now posing stupidly before their flashing cellphones.

"Seriously, put your shirt back on before you blind someone."

"By dazzling them with my rockin' bod"

"Yeah. Sure," she rolled her eyes, picking up his t-shirt and throwing it in his face. "And as for you," she turned to the cluster of fan girls. "You never seen a topless doofus before? Unless you're here to get something fixed, get out! Go on! Leave!"

"Ease up, Shrimp. We're just having a little fun. Aren't we, ladies?" he chuckled, as the huddle of girls nodded, still giggling like morons.

"Daniel Grey, I swear to Chrysler, I'm going to kill you someday." Keylee grabbed his arm, half dragging him back into the store. "Now tell your posse to get lost."

"Alas, my fair ladies, it appears I have yet to return to my duties. Fear not however, for we shall see each other for a time once more!" he called to his fans, with a wink.

"Nerd," Keylee muttered, giving him a final shove through the door, though Danny still managed to call out before it slammed shut: "Same time tomorrow, babes!"

He turned to Keylee. "You know, I can't help being beautiful."

"It's weird how similar you are to another guy I know," she shook her head, incredulous after having suddenly remembered Wally. She handed Danny a mop, still marveling at how accurate her observation really was. "You may not be able to help the way you look but you can definitely help by, you know, doing your _job_."

"You're not the boss of me, Shrimp," he took the mop, although with an indignant scowl on his face . She smirked.

"Actually, until your dad gets back at eleven, I kind of am." She walked behind the register, and seated herself at her tiny workbench below the counter. She resumed her work, fiddling with a small pocket radio that she had received the previous night. Damaged circuits, though nothing difficult. She had already found the parts she needed in the storage room at the back of the store that morning. She picked up the small set of tweezers lying on the desk and began picking at the wires, adjusting them to the correct outlets.

"So… judging by the drooling girls outside, I assume the gig went well?"

"Oh yeah, it was so awesome! We totally rocked! Owen even got a crowd surf and me and Cara had to chase him around the room for the rest of the night to get him off peoples' heads. It was totally sick! You should have been there, Keylee."

"I know, I'm sorry. I wanted to but something urgent came up."

"Yeah, that's what you've been saying for like the last month."

"I know, I know. This new extra-curricular stuff is kicking my butt. If I want to get into a college half as good as the one you're going to get into then I need to start stacking up stuff now."

"You're fourteen."

"Exactly. And I go to Gotham County High - probably the crappiest school in the state. I need all the help I can get**." **

"You're being paranoid, if you ask me."

"Good thing I didn't then. Anyway, I'm changing the subject to something I bear a greater interest to. _Cara._"

"What about her?"

"Come _on_!" Keylee had clipped the back of the radio into place, standing up to face him behind the counter. "She's awesome. She's cool, funny, actually has a _brain _and she's totally cute. What's stopping you?"

"Don't know what you mean," Danny shrugged, eyes now fixed onto the floor, suddenly enamored by his mopping chore. Keylee sighed at him in exasperation, now fiddling with the knobs on the tiny radio, trying to find a station which would prove she had succeeded in fixing the appliance.

"You may be heading for MIT, Danny, but you're still as dumb as a rock when it comes to girls. Cara's like the best one out of any of your girlfriends."

"She's not my girlfriend."

"But _why_? Seriously, fish like that don't stay in the sea for very long. Be careful you don't wait too long, because then she's gonna go off with the next sleaze-ball who gets in her way."

"She wouldn't go out with a sleaze-ball," he muttered, but Keylee snorted.

"Danny, when she's going out with a guy that's not you, you'll think he's a sleaze-ball no matter what." With a final twist, the radio came to life, a familiar voice of GBS news' Iris West-Allen coming clearly out of the speakers.

"Meanwhile, tensions are still running high between Bialya and Vlatava after a meeting last week between the two monarchs, Queen Bee and Queen Perdita, was cut short by an attempt on the young Perdita's life. No one was injured however, both Vlatavan and Bialyan officials are on the case, working to locate the gunman. Though no evidence has yet been found, neither side has lost hope in finding the culpr–"

Keylee switched off the radio. She hated hearing the news. As X had said before. It was depressing. She turned her gaze up towards the clock that hung above the doorway. She sighed. She had to hurry if she wanted to get her jobs done on time.

"I'll go sort the files in the back," she told Danny, heading to the manager's office at the back of the store.

The room held bad memories for her. Too many of them. She didn't like this room. It was the room the police officer had stopped her from entering the night Tony left. It was the room she had to face entering for the first time after a month of living with Earl and Danny. She figured she couldn't live with them forever. She had known she would eventually come back to H&S. She still wanted to live in the same apartment. So she made a deal with Earl, now her legal guardian. She would live in the Hartwell's Apartment and she would hand the store over to him until she felt she was ready to run it herself. The room was cleaner than when she left it the night she found the contract. It was the day when she had returned to H&S for the first time.

_She walked the halls of the apartment as quietly as the ghost she was looking for. She walked into every room of both the store and the apartment, searching for an apparition, a spirit, anything that would remind her of Tony. She wished she would find he was haunting her. She felt it would've been a fair punishment for everything she had done. But instead, the rooms remained deserted, quiet. When she entered the manager's office, she had found boxes and boxes stacked on top of one another, a heavy brown desk in the middle of the room. After an hour, she'd only managed to sort half the boxes, reforming a pile of empty ones outside the door. She sunk down to the floor, diverting all her attention to the floorboards. She allowed her eyes to follow the rises and falls of every line in every plank of wood. The swirls that the lines formed as the got smaller and smaller, eventually connected in the center. It amazed her how similar every pattern was. Her eyes moved to the next floorboard. All except one. She stared at this design a moment. She couldn't say she liked it. The lines were all going straight up. No enchanting swirls here. She stared at another moment. The chunk of wood had undergone discoloration as the rest of the floorboards but it had turned a slightly different shade. Keylee peered curiously at it. She rapped her knuckles on one floorboard and then the one in question. It was hollow. In a flush of excitement, she ran out into the workshop and re-entered the room with a crowbar. _

_The wood splintered with the first push, leaving a hole in the floor. She looked in. There was a box. She opened it and found papers. One caught her attention. She flicked through it, reaching the final page. She saw her great great grandfather's signature, Eddie T. Hartwell. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw the signature next to it. Alberto _Sorrelli_. An ancestor of the present day one. She turned her head up in a sudden burst of rage and the rest was a blur until Robin showed up beside her on the Clock Tower. _

Keylee's head jerked as she left her daydream. _Damn_. She still had to replace that floorboard. Sighing, she went to the store room to find any spare planks of wood she could cut down to fit the gaping hole in the floor.

• • • • •

Hartwell & Sons

Saturday, 19th March 2011

10:52

Danny was still mopping the floor, though he had stopped grumbling about the conversation he just had with Keylee. He was now slipping around the room, having turned on the radio, using the mop as a dance partner and singing along to a song he particularly liked.

"C'mon Rude Boy Boy, can you get it up? C'mon Rude Boy Boy, is you _big_ enou-"

The chimes above the door suddenly producing their twinkling song, had him lunging to turn the radio off and thereby bringing his dance lesson with the mop to an end. He turned sheepishly to look at the visitor who had entered the room. It was a boy with black hair and a green hoodie. He was wearing dark shades.

"Hi. Is Keylee Hartwell here?"

"Depends who's asking," Danny resumed mopping, trying to regain any bit of dignity he had just lost by making his voice drop an octave lower into practically a growl, "You a customer or a guy she pissed off?"

"Neither." This had Danny look up, completely forgetting his male pride amidst his confusion.

"Really? Are you sure? 'Cause if it's not a customer then it's always definitely a pissed-off guy. I think we can agree, Keylee pisses _everyone_ off."

"Well…"

"Danny, you jerk! You clogged the damn toilet again!" Keylee yelled from somewhere in the back of the store.

"I said I'll fix it!" he shouted back, moving in the direction of the her voice. He disappeared into the back, along the machines in the workshop, leaving the visitor standing awkwardly by himself. He could still hear everything though.

"Shrimp, you have a visitor! A _boyfriend_ by the looks of it," Danny proceeded making slurpy, kissing noises until he was silenced by a loud thump.

"Ow. My pancreas," he gasped, doubling over, and then calling hoarsely after her distancing footsteps. "_You're such a hypocrite._"

"Sorry about my colleague. Welcome to Hartwell & Sons. How may I help you?" Keylee said, walking up to the counter from the back of the workshop, pulling her rubber gloves back up to her elbows. She looked up and realized who it was.

"Well if it isn't the Real Slim _Shady_," she laughed, gesturing at the dark lenses of his sunglasses.

"So if you're the only Hartwell here, what does that make him?" Robin asked, ignoring her. She blinked momentarily before smiling again.

"Technically, I'm an honorary son like the other two employees," She turned around and showing the word 'Son' printed brightly in yellow letters on the back of her dark green overalls. "But anyway, Rob, you better be here with some business for me because here at H&S we have a strict no breaks on the job policy."

"Sorry, nothing today. But it's a good thing I decided to stop by because it doesn't look like you're leaving at all."

"What's the hurry? I still have until eleven thirty."

"You _know_ BC doesn't like us being late."

"Aw. It's so endearing that you care so much," she chuckled, receiving a serious look from him. She sighed. "I can't leave until Earl comes back… which by the looks of it, is right now. Hey Earl."

"Morning, Keylee. Who's your friend?" The old man smiled, having entered the store.

"This is Rob. Rob, Earl. "

"Good to meet you, son." Earl nodded then turned to Keylee. "Okay, your shifts over. Me and Danny can take it from here."

"Are you sure? I still have a few deliveries to make."

"Dan'll do it. You can go out now but just be back home at a reasonable time."

"I will, Earl," she smiled, before turning to Robin. "Wait here. I'll go change."

Like an angry hurricane, she flew up the stairs, swapping her overalls for a pair of jeans and a clean red t-shirt. She threw her backpack over her shoulder, making sure that X's costume was inside. She then ran back down and Robin was looking a bit more restless.

"We still have to walk, you know."

"Who says?" she grinned, leading him to the garage.

• • • • •

"Do you have a driver's license?" Robin asked, now sitting behind her on the seat of her scooter and wearing a spare helmet they had found lying in the H&S garage.

"Nope," she snorted. She twisted the handle suddenly, zooming out of the garage and into the streets of Gotham before Robin could say another word. He clung on to her for dear life as she weaved smoothly in and out of traffic, laughing at the angry shouts she received from fellow drivers. They reached the alley with the blue phone booth within five minutes.

"Robin? You can let go now." Keylee couldn't help but feel smug. X had gotten her payback from last week's Santa Prisca mission. She hopped off her beloved Shelby looking inside the phone booth.

"I am _never_ getting on anything you drive ever again," he vowed, taking off his helmet but Keylee rolled her eyes. "How does a fifty year old Vespa even _get _that fast?"

"Mechanic, remember? Found her at the dump a couple years back. Fitted her with a new engine, new tires, paintjob. The whole enchilada. And then you get this outcome," she turned back to Robin. "Can I get Shelby into the cave from here?"

"Who?"

"The _bike_, genius."

"Zeta-tube, override to LG3. Enter vehicle override VX1," he sighed.

"Override accepted. Recognized Robin, B01," came the computer's voice from inside the phone booth, which then sank back into the wall to the reveal a large metal door. It slid up to reveal the inside of the entrance. Robin laughed at Keylee's surprised expression.

"Weren't expecting that, were you?"

"Not bad. Not bad, at all." Keylee nodded, before driving Shelby into the zeta-portal.

• • • • •

Mt Justice

Saturday, 19th March 2011

11:24

"Recognized, X B08. Recognized, new vehicle VX1."

They had now been transported the mountain's own garage. Keylee parked Shelby next to the Bioship and Conner's bike. She looked over at the clock hanging on the wall just above the entrance of the zeta-portal. They still had five minutes to spare.

"See? No need to worry your little Birdy head about it." she smiled as they started towards the training room.

"It's thanks to me that you came at all. X was so late last time we didn't think you'd turn up!"

"N'aw! Did Wittle Wobin miss X-ey Wexey?" Her voice had taken up a patronizing cooing tone.

He raised an eyebrow behind his shades, shaking his head smugly.

"Keep dreaming. Actually, now that I think about it… according to that guy in the store, you do," he accused her. He wiggled an eyebrow in a very Wally-like way and she laughed.

"Don't flatter yourself. That was just Danny Grey being Danny Grey. We've been friends since I was ten. I actually met him through his dad, Earl. You know, the old guy? Yeah, he's worked at Hartwell & Sons since my grandpa got the business from _his _dad."

"Wait… His name's Earl Grey?"

"Yes."

"As in the tea?"

"I am well aware Earl Grey is also a tea, Wonder Boy. In this particular case, however, he is a sweet old man." They both now entered the training room where the rest of the Team had assembled.

"Yeah. Sure, Keylls."

"Keyl-" she stopped herself mid-correction. Only one person had ever called her that. She turned to him, curiosity plain on her face.

"What did you call me?"

"_Keylls. _Figured it was too much effort to pronounce the two syllables so I shortened your name to one," he explained, before smirking and crossing his arms. "Why? Does it annoy you?"

"Would you stop if I said it did?"

"Nope," his smirk widened but to his surprise, her own face split into a beaming smile.

"In which case, Robin, it _does_ annoy me. It annoys me a lot."

**AN/ I'm afraid this is all I can accomplish given my current state of frantic revision for upcoming exams. I am also sad to say there's a fairly good chance you **_**won't **_**get an update next week because of this. However, I promise that as soon as I finish on Friday 14****th**** I'll write up the next chapter and update that very weekend. Thank you for reviewing, following and favorite-ing. Keep it up!**


	11. Barking Felines

**Chapter 11 – Barking Felines**

Gotham City

Monday, 28th March 2011

18:13

"I am so _bored_," Kid Flash whined, flopping onto his back and now lying on the roof of building opposite the Gotham Museum.

"No kidding." Superboy was leaning against a vent, arms folded across his chest. "I don't think so many of us needed to come along."

"Well, on the other hand, it's either be bored here or be bored at home," Megan said.

"Be bored at home. _Always_ be bored at home," KF replied. He gave a sudden shiver. "No wonder X and Robin are always so pale. They hardly get any sun here at all. Seriously, it's March and I think I just saw a woman in a fur coat!"

"Yeah, we're used to it," Robin smiled, turning back to the museum and looking at the holographic projection of the building from his glove. He was checking the building's heat signatures, trying to find anything out of the ordinary. He didn't do this for long. Kid jumped up behind him in a highly distracting manner.

"Whatcha _doin_'?"

"KF. We're busy."

"No we're not. I don't think anyone's going to turn up. We've been sitting here for _hours_."

"Try just over an hour," Red Arrow replied. "But I don't think we'll have to wait long now. This is around the same time when X arrived at her _other_ crime scenes."

"_Again_ with this?" Artemis rolled her eyes. "X _isn't_ the thief. Why do you have such issues with newbies? Seriously, back off!"

"Roy…" Kaldur placed a concerned hand on Red Arrow's shoulder, stopping him from retorting. "X is many things however, I do not believe she is a traitor."

"There's a mole on this Team, Kaldur. Half the members of which are suspects. But at the moment, I'm betting all my money on the new girl and that's why I joined this mission. I'm going to catch her in the act."

"Big talk coming from GA's cheap knock-off," Artemis muttered huffily only to be angered further when he turned his back to Connor, Megan and Artemis to face Wally, Robin and Kaldur.

"Robin, you know her track record better than anyone here. She's a criminal. Or have you forgotten what she's capable of? That you used to fight her on a daily basis?"

"'_Used to'_, Roy. Past tense," Robin replied, quietly.

"Yeah, Roy. X is cool," Wally added, trying to reassure his friend, but Red Arrow wasn't listening.

"You're blind. All of you. When it comes to it, X'll betray you without a second thought. Just wait and see."

"Is your skull really that thick? X isn't a traitor." Artemis had snapped, now staring incredulously at Arrow. How dare he waltz back to the Team, pointing fingers and accusing her teammates of being thieves? She hated him. However, what he said next made her hesitate.

"Well, if you know her so well, where is she? Why isn't she here with us?"

"She's busy," Artemis replied, icily.

"So, in other words, you have no idea."

The silence hung over them as Roy gave a nod of his head and then reached to his belt and brought a list on a portable screen.

"These are all the dates and times of all the thefts last week. If I'm wrong, look at these and then tell me you have proof that you've seen her," he challenged.

After a few minutes of silence, KF leaned over and whispered to Kaldur.

"I don't remember seeing her at any of those times."

"Neither do I, Kid."

"Anyone else?" Roy asked, but when he was answered with another silence, he smirked triumphantly. "See? She's the thief."

"Red, it's not that I don't like you… Because, you know, I hate you… But even so that doesn't prove anything." Artemis folded her arms.

"Yes, it could just be a coincidence," Megan agreed, though neither girl sounded certain anymore. She was still looking at the Saturday night on the list. The same time the girls had invited her to a sleepover at the Cave and Keylee refused saying she was 'busy'.

"Coincidence that she always disappeared around the same time the crime took place _every _day last week? Wake up. She can't be trusted."

"I still disagree with you, Roy," Robin said. "She's always busy. Her family owns a repair shop."

"Which is almost at the end of its days! I do my research too, Robin. Hartwell & Sons was going to close down before Sorrelli was arrested. The fact that she got lucky still doesn't help that the store can't cope for much longer."

"Which is none of _your_ business, may I point out," Artemis interjected, hatefully.

"It _is_ when it serves as the perfect alibi for committing the crime, Blondie," Red Arrow retorted, before smirking again and stepping back. "But don't take my word for it. Let's just wait for her to make an appearance and then I'll be able to tell you all that I told you so."

"Please. Let's stop arguing. We shall just have to take Red Arrow's suggestion and wait," Aqualad intervened. "_However_, I would like you to understand that X remains innocent until proven guilty, Roy. I hope you will respect our wishes."

Red Arrow glared at his friend before giving a grudging "Fine," as he turned back to the museum. Something suddenly caught his eye. He squinted, looking through his binoculars with the utmost attention. He then smirked, forgetting his promise immediately.

"Hey guys… I told you so," He gestured down to the street as a small black shadow, rushed to the entrance of the museum, jumping through a window just near a door.

"Looks like someone decided to show up after all," he folded his arms smugly looking at the now quiet team. Robin broke the silence.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Speedy. We don't know for sure if that's, X"

"You're so deluded." Red Arrow rolled his eyes, jumping onto the fire escape. "Fine. Let's follow _them_."

The Team proceeded into the museum, running down the halls. It wasn't very long until Red Arrow caught sight of the shadow dashing into a room of the West-Wing of the museum. The Exhibition room where the Diadem of Bastet lay.

"C'mon, we've got 'em!" Red yelled as they all hurried into the room. They all stopped abruptly as soon as they saw who was in there. A grave silence filled the room as the Team, who had hoped Red Arrow to be wrong, watched X walk towards the diadem. Megan shook her head, disbelievingly while Artemis's fists clenched in anger. Roy smirked, smugly.

"Looks like it's: 'Proven guilty'," he said.

"X?" Robin didn't let his surprise show. She turned around and beamed upon seeing them.

"Hey, guys!" she called, just as an arrow whizzed past her cheek. Her eyes widened, before immediately narrowing into a glare for Artemis who held the bow taught.

"What the _hell_ was that?!" she shouted.

"You're not getting away with this, X," Artemis replied, letting loose another arrow. Her anger towards Red Arrow had now been redirected to an alternative outlet.

X dodged the arrow, just barely, only to run into Superboy who immediately grabbed her. She yelped as he picked her up, her legs dangling helplessly off the ground and her arms constricted to her sides.

"X? Why would you do this?" Megan floated up in front of her, her voice wobbling as though she was about to burst into tears and begin shouting at the same time. X was dumbstruck.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Lying when you've been caught in the act? Babe, that is totally uncool," KF said, waggling a finger at her. She stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief. She did not understand a thing they were saying.

"Have you all lost your minds?! Let go of me! I mean it, Supey! Get off!" she shouted again, wriggling in Superboy's grip, eventually having to resort to giving him a series of kicks with her heels. But it was no use. With skin that was bulletproof, the Kryptonian barely shifted out of place, remaining still as a statue. Instead, a new red-haired boy walked up to her.

"Explain yourself, _traitor_!" he demanded, practically spitting all over her face.

"Uhm… Okay, firstly, and I don't mean to be rude but, I would appreciate if you didn't try to drown me in your saliva and secondly… Who the hell _are _you?!"

"I am Red Arrow."

"Never heard of you," she said, looking him up and down, unimpressed and making him glower at her all the more.

"He's Speedy," KF explained, helpfully.

"Oh, _right_!" X nodded in recognition.

"No I'm not! Not anymore!"

"Well, I agree with you there. The name doesn't suit you in the slightest. Now, _Spitty._ That works a treat."

"You are hardly in any position to be making lame wise-cracks, X."

"I wouldn't call them 'lame' per se. _They_ seem to like it," X grinned, gesturing at Artemis and Robin behind him who both had let out a chuckle.

"X, enough. You are in enough trouble as it is," Kaldur stepped in, immediately silencing both Red and X. She stared at him.

"Aqualad, I honestly have no idea what anyone here is talking about," she said, clearly.

The Atlantean studied her for a long moment, not saying a word.

"Oh, come_ on_. You don't actually _believe_ her, do you?" Red Arrow exclaimed.

"Spitty, as soon as Supey lets go of me, I'm going to come over there and beat the absolute shi-"

"I believe her," Kaldur said, turning to Robin. "She is innocent in my eyes. As today's leader, however, it is up to you to decide what we do.

"Robin, her police records show she's a skilled liar. She can weasel her way out of any polygraph test without the slightest hindrance," Red Arrow said.

"I know what her police files say," Robin said. "Me and Batman know about every single crime she's ever committed."

"Stalker," X muttered.

"But, I still agree with Aqualad. Superboy, let her go," Robin finished. Superboy dropped X instantly, she, landing lightly on the floor. In her state of anger, she was very quick to act. Kaldur moved closer to Red Arrow, to restrain X if needed, but that wasn't to where X moved first. She rounded on Robin instead.

"You mind explaining to me why everyone suddenly went control freak on me?!"

"I- We- we- didn't- We weren't-" Robin backed away as she took infuriated strides towards him, flaying her arms around to accommodate her searing rage.

"I COME IN HERE BECAUSE I SEE A FREAK IN A BLACK JUMPSUIT CLIMB INTO THE BUILDING AND YOU AMBUSH ME AND TREAT ME LIKE _I'M _THE CRIMINAL?!"she boomed. There was a silence which made her come to a halt. X let out a gasp. It all had clicked in place. "You guys thought that… _I_ was the thief, didn't you?"

They all shifted amidst their rising levels of guilt, except for Red Arrow who was nodding vigorously. X shook her head. She didn't believe it. It was almost as if she had jinxed her good fortune. Taking the Team's welcome as a sign of friendship only to realize she was stupid for even thinking that way. She had been an idiot. They didn't trust her. That hurt. She wouldn't admit it but it did.

"Well, well, Ivy. Look who we have here," came a long, purring voice from behind her. X spun around to see two women standing at the entrance of the hall. One was in a leafy-green leotard and long tangled mess of red hair while the other was leaning against the doorway in a tight black jumpsuit. The black hood hugged her head as two points stuck upwards like ears, resembling that of a cat's.

"If it isn't my sweet little kitten and my favorite birdy," the Catwoman cooed.

"Hiya, Cat. Ivy," X nodded. "How are the weird plant babies growin'?"

"Hello, X," Ivy smiled, coldly. "Strange you should ask about my flora, seeing as you set fire to half my garden last year."

"You're not still mad about that are you?" X asked, cheekily. "Look it was an accident. How was _I_ supposed to know pesticides were flammable?"

"You know them?" Robin asked.

"Don't be stupid. Of _course_ I know them," she rolled her eyes as though it had been the most obviously well-known fact of the century. "In retrospect it was pretty stupid of you to peg me as a prime suspect before you thought of her… I mean, her track record's way above mine and, you know, she's still an active criminal. Don't look so smug, Spitty. That goes for you too," she directed at Red Arrow, whose face immediately dropped the smirk, as Ivy interjected.

"You know what, X? You're right. I'm no longer mad. Because now, I get to show you what I've managed to accomplish since then!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she reached into a pouch that hung on her hip and threw some seeds onto the marble floor. No sooner had they hit the floor than did the seeds germinate and sprout huge stalks, rising high up towards the ceiling. The vines that sprouted from the stem propelled themselves towards the eight heroes, wrapped around their waists and raised them high up into the air. Superboy and Aqualad broke through the vines first try, however the vines kept growing back and rebinding them almost as quickly. Megan concentrated on her shape-shifting, making herself smaller but the vines just shrank with her, preventing her from escape. The other teens all struggled against the vines which were now slowly beginning to constrict their lungs. Their breaths got shallower and shallower.

X was hanging upside down, back to back with Robin, the stalk having caught them at the same time.

"Way to go, Wonder Boy."

"You sound like you're blaming me."

"Probably because I am."

"How is this my fault?"

"How _isn't_ this your fault? If you had just trusted me from the start then we wouldn't be here right now, getting the hug of death from an overgrown weed!" she exclaimed, giving him a series of sharp jabs in the back with her elbow.

"Cut it out, X," he told her.

"_Make_ me, Bird Brain."

She struggled a bit more against the vines before directing her attention to Poison Ivy.

"I can tell you're not at all bitter about our last meet up, then."

"It took months for my babies to heal back to full health, you brat!" Ivy yelled.

"Look, lady, I don't know what issues you want to settle with X but how about you let the rest of us go and you can keep her," Red Arrow said.

"Red!" the Team all yelled in unison, shutting him up.

"You have said enough today," Kaldur told him.

"So, it's okay when she does it. But when I do it, it's wrong and I'm the bad guy," he muttered.

"That's because I do it with wit and flair. Your personality is lacking in both those traits," she said, smiling and making his eyes narrow.

"I hate you."

"And I'm not very fond of you either, Spitty," she replied, as-a-matter-of-factly. She looked back at Catwoman.

"What I wanna know is since when do you work with a partner? I thought you said you worked alone."

"I could ask you the same question, kitten," Catwoman smiled. "Personally, I realized the work load gets easier when it's a team effort. Although, hearing _your_ conversation, I see that's not always the case."

The remark immediately stopped the whole team from struggling as they looked at Catwoman, some of them taking up a slightly guilty look. Catwoman chuckled and continued.

"You know, we're not so different, you and I. In fact, I see a bit of myself in you. Both never quite fitting in to the group. Ambiguous in where we stand with the law, never quite being able to obey it. A clear thirst for riches and luxury. You have the potential and Ivy and I can teach you so much. We could be a great team. No longer will you have to keep proving yourself to a playgroup that doesn't even trust you. Join us and we'll offer you so much more than anything these so-called teammates can give."

"What?" the Team exclaimed.

"Yeah, what?!" Ivy turned to Catwoman, obviously just as surprised as the others. She still hadn't forgiven X for anything, nor was she ever planning to.

"Haha. Nice try, lady, but X would never join your little posse in a million years! Tell 'em, X." Kid Flash barked out a laugh. He looked at her when she didn't say anything.

"Well? X? Tell her," he repeated, his voice taken up a slightly more nervous tone.

"Looks like I've sparked her interest, Flash boy. So, how about it? Will you purr for me, kitten?"

X looked at her for a moment, very quiet. She then looked at the Team, a nervous and tense silence hanging over them as well. The Team who had made it perfectly obvious that they had no intention of ever trusting her. Her eyes narrowed to a glare as her eyes drifted to each of them. Her gaze stopped on Megan as the Martian watched her with a pleading eyes.

"X, don't do this."

X looked away, ignoring Megan's plea. She looked at Catwoman and Poison Ivy. She nodded.

"X!" Wally, Robin and Artemis' voices all sounded loudly at her, their shock plain in their voices. X, however, ignored them.

"Purrfect," the thief smiled, as Poison Ivy gave the plant a silent order to lower the vine which had been holding X captive. X jumped down and took her place next to the two women.

"You've made the right decision, X. You're going to fit in just fine here."

"Thanks, Cat. I feel the same way," X replied, spitefully, looking at the Team. This encouraged Red Arrow to abandon his quiet streak.

"What'd I tell you? I told you she would be the first to betray you! I was right! X, you're nothing but a coward and a traitor! You are nothin- nmhmnnnummhmmnnn"

"Can it, Arrow-head," Poison Ivy laughed, as the vines wrapped around his mouth, muffling him mid-rant.

"Now that that's done, I think we should take what we came for and go," Catwoman said, striding over to the diadem. She reached her clawed fingers to touch the smooth crystalline surface, about to grab it.

"Hey, Catwoman." The thief turned to look at X.

"Yes, kitten?"

"Woof."

Catwoman, only barely having the time to register what X had said, recoiled as she received a sharp blow across the face. She fell backwards, almost landing on her back, but she came back up in a roll, only to have X take her feet out from underneath her.

"Black Canary taught me that," she said, reaching to her belt and throwing out ten bird-a-rangs. The all landed on target – the base of the giant plant. "Now, Rob!" she shouted.

Robin, still in his cocoon of vines, pushed a button on his belt. All ten bird-a-rangs flickered with flashing lights before laughing his programmed cackle and exploding. The entire weed caught on fire. Again. Ivy let out a horrified shriek as all the heroes escaped, Kaldur, Superboy and Red Arrow immediately restraining her.

Meanwhile, X was still fighting Catwoman, who had by this point got back on to her feet and with a fearsome aggression lunged, attacking X. She flayed her claws at X, the girl dodging all except one blow which caught her stomach. There was a quick ripping noise as a long, thin gash was left in the costume.

"Costumes don't come cheap you know!" X shouted, dodging yet another swipe by jumping down to the ground.

She winced as the floor touched the new scratch on her stomach, a trickle of blood being wiped onto the ground. She got back up, only to have to flip backwards, away from the sharp sting of Catwoman's whip which the woman had just produced from her own belt. The second lash of the whip got X's feet, making her trip up and fall backwards. Catwoman brought the whip back over her head while X was down, ready to deliver the final blow but instead let out a yowl and clutched her hand as the whip was knocked out of her palm by Robin's bird-a-rang. Artemis jumped up and delivered a roundhouse kick to Catwoman's head, felling the thief. No sooner had Catwoman dropped to the ground, than did two sets of arms restrain her as X placed the hand cuffs securely around her wrists. The two women were then sat against the wall, as the Team paused to catch their breath.

"I think we'll just leave you here for the police," X smiled.

At that moment the wails of police sirens filled the air. The Team all headed to the window.

"Ivy was right. You _are_ a brat," Catwoman muttered before smiling again and showing off her sharp white teeth. "Well played, kids. You won this time. Send the Dark Knight my _love_, birdy. See you around, X."

"Later, Cat," X called over her shoulder before following Robin out the window, leaving the two women just as police officers burst in through the door, flooding the room.

• • • • •

Gotham City

Monday, 28th March 2011

19:01

When the sirens died away, the police cars returning to Gotham Police Department, X turned to the heroes, all of whom were now back on the building opposite the museum where they had carried out the stake out not a half hour previously.

"That was some pretty good acting, you guys. I almost believed you being surprised when I left the Team."

Red Arrow missed a beat before the realization suddenly hit him.

"So, you were all communicating telepathically the whole time?"

"Yep."

"For how long?"

"Since the bean stalk sprouted."

"And you didn't think of including me?"

"We figured since so many of us were traitors, you wouldn't want us in your head," Artemis smiled, icily.

"See? I told you X was clean," Wally added but Red Arrow just shook his head, looking at X.

"Yeah, well… No offence, but I still don't trust you."

"Well, no offence to _you_, _Spitty_, but _you're _an arrogant and obnoxious jackass whose opinion bears no importance to me whatsoever. So why don't you just take little your bow and arrow and shove it up your -"

They were almost nose to nose when Robin stepped in between them, cutting off X's invitation and stopping Red Arrow from taking a step closer and punching her.

"Both of you. Calm down!"

"Calm down? Calm _down_?! Don't you _dare_ tell me to calm down, Robin!"

"Whatever. I don't need this," Red Arrow glowered. He pointed at X, threateningly. "Don't hurt my friends, X. Or you'll answer to me."

"I'm quaking, Spitty" she snapped, as he turned away and ran off the roof towards the closest zeta tube, the team watching him go. Aqualad spoke up.

"All that aside, the mission was a success. The thieves were caught and brought to justice," he said, acting peacemaker as usual.

"Yeah, that's all that matters. Nice job taking my bird-a-rangs by elbowing me in the pod and pretending you were mad at us, X" Robin said.

She didn't reply and at once the tense silence which the Team had thought subsided at the museum, had returned to surround them. None of the members knew what to say despite the fact they all understood why they weren't talking, all wearing an expression that could only be paired with nervous foot shuffling like guilty children would do. They remained in this awkward silence, half of them suddenly enamoured with the ground or looking at each other, beckoning one another to speak first. Robin lost the quiet argument and finally spoke.

"You're mad at us." He had stated the obvious and would have received a few exasperated eye rolls had the rest of the Team not been looking at the ground.

"No, I actually find it very flattering that I'm on a team where everyone thinks I'm a back-stabber," X snapped, starting to glare once again.

"No, we don't," Megan quietly replied, though as soon as she looked up at X she dropped her gaze again.

"But you _did_!" X was getting angrier. "I can't believe you thought I would do that!" She stopped herself from yelling. With a pause , she took a deep breath and continued in slightly calmer fashion.

"Look, I joined this team, hoping for a fresh start. I wanted to put X, the thief, behind me. You _knew_ that. I made mistakes but I want you to know I learned my lesson. I'm not going down that road ever again…. You should've trusted me." She looked at them again, her expression now more somber than mad. Kaldur was the next to answer.

"You're right, X. And for that, we apologize. You may be our team mate, but you are also our friend. What we did was inexcusable and I assure you will not be repeated. Please forgive us."

There was a pause where the rest of the Team nodded. She waited, thinking it over carefully before she too nodded, slowly.

"Okay," she replied.

"So… we're cool now?" Wally asked, cautiously approaching her like you would a sleeping tiger. X managed a smile, shrugging.

"I guess… Yeah, we're cool."

"Great!" he exclaimed as though nothing had happened in the last hour and putting an arm over her shoulder. "I'm glad we're friends again. Though I knew we couldn't stay apart for long."

X laughed, wriggling out from under his arm. She turned to the Team who were also also smiling in relief, all except for Robin who was still eyeing her curiously.

"What?"

"So, what _were _you doing, X?"

She glared at him, not answering. He raised his hands defensively.

"Right, right. Sorry. It's none of my business. I should trust you."

"That's right, Wonder Boy." But she grinned all the same. "Look at you, grown out of stalking. I'm so proud."

"I wouldn't go _that_ far," he smirked. "Anyway, wanna head back to base with us and watch a movie or something?"

"It's a school night…" X paused. "So, sure."

• • • • •

Mount Justice

Monday, 28th March 2011

22:12

Keylee rushed out of the living room when her phone began to ring so as not to interrupt the movie the Team was watching. She strolled down the corridor as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hiya, Mrs. Stone!" she smiled into the speaker.

"Hi, Keylee. I just got back from work with Lizzie and I realized I hadn't thanked you properly for taking her to and from ballet today. Ever since Greg got that job at the docks, he hasn't been able to drive anywhere other than home and work."

"It's my pleasure," Keylee smiled. "Me and Lizzie have fun. Same time next week?"

"That would be wonderful," Mrs Stone replied. "Thanks again, Keylee."

"You're welcome. See you then. Okay, bye."

"Goodnight!"

Keylee wandered into her room, flipping her phone shut and throwing herself onto the bed. She groaned as the bed sheets pressed against her stomach, making the scratch, where Catwoman's claw had caught her skin, sting. Carefully, she raised herself off the bed and moved to the mirror that hung on the wall. She slowly lifted her shirt to see a long, red stripe stretching across the length of her abdomen. She touched it lightly, noting the sharp sting that the action produced.

What happened next came us a huge shock. The stinging feeling moved farther up towards her neck, just below the black ribbon she wore around it. She gasped as the stinging was exchanged for a burning sensation, now heating her body and numbing the wound with it.

She grabbed the side of the bedside table, leaning her weight against it as the pain began to grow and the room started spinning. She watched, panting, as the deep scratch on her stomach was now getting smaller until it was completely gone.

The relief was instant and the burning sensation died away. Keylee tried to calm her breathing but to no avail. It wasn't working. She was panicking.

She touched the spot where the wound had been with trembling hands, realizing, to her horror, that she no longer felt it there. She knew what was happening. She wished she didn't. Her heart had lowered itself into her stomach. It couldn't be.

A loud knock on the door made her jump.

"Hey Keylls, hurry up! You're missing the best part," Robin's voice came through the door.

"I- I'm coming," she called back, trying to make her voice sound even. She listened intently as Robin's footsteps died away before she turned back to the mirror.

It couldn't be happening. Not again. Her hand moved up to the side of her neck, as her fingertips lightly pressed on the ribbon. Nothing happened. Keylee sighed, slightly more relieved now. She composed herself and then left the bedroom, heading back to the Team, all the while silently chanting reassurances to herself. Everything was fine. Everything was under control. It wouldn't happen again. No, it wouldn't. Never again.

**AN:/ I'm terrible, I know. What am I - one, _two_ weeks late? Yeah... I don't actually have much of an excuse except that this chapter took me a lot longer to write and eventually deem decent. Not _good_ but decent. Anyway, I'm very sorry for being late with the update and I hope you won't be mad at me for too long. On the bright side however, I only have about two weeks left of school so hopefully I'll be able to get more chapters written at a not so pitiful rate. Thank you for the reviews, follows and favorites! Feel free to keep them coming ;) I'll strive to update next weekend!**


	12. The Toyman Can

**Chapter 12 – The Toyman Can **

_Jessica watched Annie cry and shout. She watched Peter struggle and fight in his Labcoat's firm grip. Jessica did none of these things. She kept still as a statue, for her whole world had been petrified to deadness. This was the scariest hospital she had ever been in. _

_Her own Labcoat, a woman with hair scraped back into a harsh bun - every hair laying flat against her scalp in a hostile submission, so befitting her own hard features - pushed Jessica in the back forcefully.  
_

_The Labcoats led the three children on through to a room as white as the rest of the hospital with beds that Jessica had only seen in surgery rooms on TV, lining the walls, surrounding them. Each child was sat down next to a bed. _

_Annie sobbed. _

_Jessica trembled. _

_Peter screamed. _

_Peter didn't sit still. He jumped back off the stool immediately as though he was on fire but the male Labcoat's hands were quick to restrain him. The man gave a hard swipe at Peter's head, the sheer force of it splitting Peter's lip. _

_Peter too began to tremble as a thin trickle of scarlet dripped to his chin, the tears welling in his eyes but refusing to spill. The Labcoats remained unfazed. They had done this countless times before. _

_Jessica suddenly heard a deafening buzz put to her head, making her jolt forwards. She, like Peter, was restrained back to a sitting position as her head began to acquire a strange lightness. Jessica couldn't see what they were doing to her but the same thing was happening to Annie and Peter. _

_Annie sat opposite her. Jessica watched in horror as a long, thick curl fell past Annie's shoulders. And then another and another. _

_The scissors in the Labcoat's hands were quick, sharp and brutally efficient. _

_Peter was first to be shaved, his head now completely bare. Jessica was next. She gulped as she raised a shaking hand to where her pigtails once were. Her hand caught air, her head covered only by prickly, black spikes where her hair should've been. Both children looked at Annie, who had placed her face in her palms, her shoulders shaking, her long princess locks reduced to uneven tufts dappled around her head._

_Jessica could have cried. She could have for Annie. But she was dragged off the stool once again. Each child was thrown onto the bed and restrained, arms constricted to their sides. The back of the bed was raised until the children were all sitting upright. _

_Peter began to shout again. Annie had gone quiet, though the tears still flowed silently down her cheeks. Jessica watched as each Labcoat came back to stand at each of the children's beds. Jessica's Labcoat approached her from the right. Her eyes widened. The woman held up the needle, menacingly. Jessica understood – this was for her. But she didn't want the shot. She wasn't sick. She didn't want it._

_Panic gripped Jessica as she struggled to get away, pulling to the side and against her bonds. No use. The woman had filled the syringe with fizzing water. It was lime-green. Jessica's nose wrinkled. She didn't like it. She didn't want it._

_She edged away. She struggled. She cried out for help but her shouts fell on deaf ears._

_No use. _

_Annie sobbed louder before the needle pierced the side of her neck. She gave a yelp as her big blue eyes widened before her poor shaven head fell back against the pillow. Peter and Jessica shouted themselves hoarse, pushing and pulling and shrieking against their own restraints. _

_No use. No use. _

_Peter was next, but he was fighting hard against it. He didn't freeze when the needle pricked his neck and he struggled even more when the liquid was pushed in. He let out a painful scream. Jessica shouted too, telling them to stop. She watched Peter's eyes well. She saw his lip, trembling, the blood still trickling from the split. _

_He screamed again. His head shaking. And then he stopped._

_Jessica stared. The cut was gone. Peter had stopped fighting. His head fell back against the pillow. He had tired himself out. He'd understood it was hopeless._

_No use. _

_Jessica's neck suddenly pricked. She had forgotten about her own Labcoat. She cried out. It hurt. It hurt. The needle was in. The liquid made her veins burn. She shouted. She was on fire. She tried to fight but she couldn't breathe. She gasped. She tried to shout out to the Labcoats - she couldn't breathe! The world was spinning. She felt herself weaken. _

_And just like that, abruptly, she felt relief, although the side of her neck was still prickling painfully. She let out a weak moan and fell back against the pillow, losing herself in dreamless sleep._

• • • • •

GBS Newsroom

Sunday, 3rd April 2011

11:12

"…recently discovered information, by Vlatvarian authorities of last months attempt on Queen Perdita's life, showed that the assassin was, shockingly indeed, one of Queen Bee's Bialyan ex-generals. The accusation has caused great offense to the Bialyan government as well as Queen Bee herself, who considers the general to be a very good friend."

"Manbek Javanshiri_, _is the name of the highly decorated general of the Bialyan Army, who fled his Vlatavarian home after being accused. He is currently residing at the Bialyan Embassy, though angered protesters have the area surrounded day and night, making it impossible for him to escape. Queen Bee, we have been told, has asked Vlatava to reconsider imprisoning Javanshiri in his own home. So far, however, she has had no reply from either Queen Perdita or the Vlatvarian government."

"Bialyan troops have now covered the entirety of the Bialya-Vlatvarian border, an impressive area the size of the Gobi Desert, arms at the ready, for an infuriated Bialya has declared that if anything should happen to the ex-general, then it would be considered as an act of war. News reporters standing by with the rest of the world in hopes that the war threat between the Middle-Eastern nations will be removed.

In other news…"

• • • • •

Hall of Justice

Sunday, 3rd April 2011

11:15

Robin turned to look back at the Team, lowering the volume on the TV. They had been sitting here since seven that morning. Batman had instructed them to remain in the Hall, scanning for anything out of the ordinary in both Gotham and Central City while the League was away.

The Team took their job very seriously… For the first two hours, until eventually realizing that neither city required saving, the screen on the wall had been left blank.

They eventually succumbed to the boredom: Kaldur was sitting on the couch opposite while Artemis and Superboy had both retreated to rivaling sides of the room, searching through the Hall of Justice's vast collection of books. Wally was in a corner by himself, back turned away from the Team, however upon tilting his head for a better look, Robin could see that Wally was in the midst of something that looked suspiciously like 'scratching' the inside of his nose. He turned his gaze away, looking to the other side of the room where Keylee and Megan were standing motionless, deep in telepathic conversation, Keylee's eyebrows firmly knitted together in concentration. A few moments later however, they both blinked and the Martian smiled warmly.

"You've really improved, Keylee. I can hear you a lot clearer now."

"Thanks, Megs," Keylee returned the smile as she picked up a large metal globe from the table nearby. "Now it's my turn to help you."

Making sure Megan was ready, she hurled the golden sphere at the Martian. Megan disappeared momentarily, the globe whizzing straight through her on a seemingly suicidal mission to crash into the opposing wall. However, before it could make contact with the metallic barrier, it halted in mid-air. Megan reappeared, eyes glowing green and outstretched hand pointing in the direction of the floating globe. X clapped for her, impressed.

"We can count density-shifting and telekinesis as improved too." X grinned.

"Hey, Rob. Turn the volume up," Robin turned to look at Wally who was now watching the TV. He obliged as everyone's attention turned to what Wally was pointing to. The screen showed a man in a white shirt and jeans sitting at a desk, a big bright banner behind him.

"Welcome back to Hero Watch, the only show that gives you hour on the hour updates on your favorite heroes. I'm Hugh Sloughman and here's the latest."

"The top Leaguers have all been summoned to Taipei where a mass breakout of hurricanes and earthquakes has been terrorizing civilians. Specialists from around the world agree the situation to be an unnatural weather phenomenon and although we can't confirm the identity of the villain behind the plot, our viewers have been keeping in touch, a vast majority thinking it to be the Weather Wizard."

"And now onto our newest segment, _Sidekick_ Watch with Zoe Carter."

A few fists in the room clenched upon hearing the word 'sidekick', as the camera panned to reveal a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and bright red lips.

"Thanks, Hugh. Today, on Sidekick Watch we discuss the latest additions to the fight against crime, X and _Arrowette_."

The Team turned to look confusedly at Artemis, who had turned bright red with anger. She muttered something about the stupid show making up a name for her, almost snapping her bow in half when the name was repeated.

"Sources tell us Arrowette is Green Arrow's new protégée, the whereabouts of his previous one, Speedy, still unknown. However, X's place is much more ambiguous.

She has been spotted multiple times in Gotham and is responsible for preventing a few acts of street violence within the city. She was also recently filmed during one of these street fights sporting a new costume, a deep-blue, cropped hoodie, black and blue striped sports leggings and a small backpack."

Keylee nodded looking down at her new costume. The Team had insisted she get one made like them, especially seeing as Catwoman had shredded her old one. She liked it, to say the least. It stayed true to the old design, having a hood that she found crucial while being much more practical and durable. She remembered, having put on her mask and belt, the hours she spent admiring it in front of a mirror, telling Robin the only thing that was really missing was a cape with which she could confuse bad guys by whipping it in and out of their faces. He said he'd make a note of that, but the roll of his eyes gave her the impression that he might just have been humoring her.

"Whether she is officially affiliated with the League is still unknown however, all information leads us to believe so. She has been caught on camera fighting alongside big namers such as Batman, Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian, Aqualad as well as Arrowette."

Artemis punched Wally in the stomach for sniggering before throwing her hands up in frustration and leaving the group for a bookshelf on the other side of the room, muttering darkly to herself as Zoe continued.

"Either way, she and Arrowette already have a small but growing fan base and a high interest rate in finding out more about these two mystery girls. And now, a word from our sponsor, Nattel Inc, who have recently enlarged their Justice League collection due to popular demand. Now the toy company will add X and Arrowette action figures as well as renewing old classics. Take a look."

The screen went black momentarily as the Team leaned in closer, the anticipation growing. A black and white image flicked on as gloomy music played to seven children sitting in a circle, looking bored. An enthusiastic voice cut the depressing tune, making the children look up in happy surprise.

"Hey, kids! Are you tired of the same old toys? Do you want something new?"

"Do we ever!" the children shouted, joyously.

"Well, follow me!"

It was as though a rainbow had thrown up on the screen. In a painful flash of color, the children were seen running around a lush, green, flowered meadow, each with a doll in their hand. The Team watched on, dumbstruck and unable to avert their eyes as the advertisement for, well, _them _continued.

"Make a dash with Kid Flash! Just wind up and GO!" the disembodied voice shouted triumphantly, as the first little boy wound up the doll and it zoomed around him in computer generated bliss. Keylee couldn't even read the small print at the bottom of the screen but she knew it said something like, "Please note: toy doesn't actually run". She peered over at Wally who looked mortified when the boy picked him up and made a 'thumbs up' sign to the camera, a fake smile plastered on his face.

The commercial continued, inviting the viewers to "Jump for joy with Superboy" where a little boy literally jumped _with _a Superboy doll in his hand. The Team saw what it would be like to "Fly again and again with Miss M" as a little girl whizzed through the painted sky by wires attached to her back, all the while clutching to a very odd looking Miss Martian with huge red lips and tiny, beady eyes. Keylee lost it when she found out you could "Get out of any blunder with the Boy Wonder".

The Robin doll was truly hilarious. It had a bright yellow cape, lime green boots but what set the whole thing off was a pair of glittering green panties, leaving the doll's legs bare. They shimmered in the artificial sunlight as the disembodied voice added that Robin came with over fifty catchphrases. The child demonstrated by pushing a button on its back. The music stopped to allow the doll to squeal out: "Holy Molehill, Batman!" Keylee turned, still spluttering, to look at Robin who, himself, had begun to mutter darkly.

"You wear and say that _once_ when you're nine, and the world never lets you live it down."

The next was poor Artemis, whose doll not only carried the wrong name but also had a long, blonde ponytail, which looked suspiciously like unwashed horsehair. The voice called out that we could "Catch every threat with Arrowette" as the sound of Artemis's fist colliding with the wall bounced around the room. The next one was where Robin got his revenge.

The X doll didn't look _too_ bad. They got the stripe on her leggings wrong and put a giant black X on her hood. The figure was exaggerated too, with a waist so small it could never accommodate any vital organs, while the hoodie's chest filled up just a _tad_ too much. But what silenced Keylee and made Robin cackle was the information that X too had a catchphrase. Keylee wasn't aware she _had_ a catchphrase.

She leaned in as the voice proclaimed with a flourish: "Fight the best with little X" as X's tiny fist moved to touch a thug doll's face. The button on her back was pressed and a shrill voice from the doll announced that "X marks the spot!" Keylee winced as the button was pushed again and again, making Robin point and laugh at her vengefully. She just sat there, completely frozen with an emotionless look covering her face. Robin stopped chortling with her lack of reaction and waved a hand in front of her face but she didn't blink, appearing to have gone into shock.

The final doll however, seemed to be the most worrying where the voice invited the children to"Take a bath with Aqualad". The rubber Aqualad was placed into a tub of water with a little boy who squeezed it, hard. The doll gave a loud squeak in protest as it suddenly blew up with water, floating up to the surface and bumping around the sides of the tub sadly. Aqualad looked terrified as he watched himself be fished out and squeezed once again, spitting out a ribbon of water.

The children now looked much happier, fake smiles pointed at the camera and waving their action figures around. The voice told them that the dolls had now been made in Taiwan and that they will visit a store near you in a week. The sheer joy that surrounded the Team upon hearing this was unanimous. Really. It was.

The commercial ended and Robin immediately lunged at the remote, switching off the television. No sooner had the appliance been silenced than did the Team jump up, outraged, their shouted complaints filling the room and making their united rage make their own emotions seem all the more justified. Megan and Artemis were talking about how they got their hair completely wrong, the dolls being the most unflattering representations of the girls they had ever seen. Robin chimed in, telling them at least theirs looked vaguely similar and didn't speak, Kid Flash agreeing that his own was worse off. Aqualad mumbled sadly about being a squeaky toy while Superboy too seemed disappointed that his own doll didn't do anything.

They all continued to fume until the screen of the Hall's tracker flashed to bright red. Robin moved to the keyboard.

"Unrest at the Gotham City Bank. Looks like a heist."

"Alright. Team, move out." Aqualad nodded, silencing the members as they all dispersed from the room. Except X. She was still sitting, her stare mirroring the blankness of the TV screen. She was still in shock. Robin stuck his head back through the door once noticing she hadn't joined them.

"X?" he asked, quietly. "You okay?"

His tone was one you would only use if you were speaking to a young child or a mentally unstable person. She just continued to stare at the TV. He sighed and gently took her wrist, getting her off the couch and slowly pulling her out of the room towards the Team.

"I've never said that in my life," she said in a monotone, unblinking.

"I know, I know," he calmed her, still using the same tone.

"But, I never –" she began again but he interjected.

"Shhhhhhh. I know, I know."

She gave a slow nod, as they joined the Team. Admittedly, they were all slightly shell-shocked from what they had just witnessed, moving towards the zeta-portal in a united daze.

• • • • •

Downtown Gotham

Sunday, 3rd April 2011

12:56

Perhaps it was too much to ask to have dibs on choosing better missions. Perhaps it was silly to even consider Batman letting them tackle the Joker, Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, Black Manta or Zoom. Perhaps… But even X had to draw the line on this mission. Upon seeing the man they were to face - short, comically plump, a face that resembled a tomato, bespectacled, not to mention pertaining to a disgusting fashion sense – X began to laugh. The sound was contagious as the whole Team began to do the same - hold for Kaldur who just smiled and Superboy who shrugged at the back of the group.

Wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, Kid Flash stopped snickering, catching his breath, and looked at the villain.

"And what are you supposed to be?"

"I am the Toyman, you insolent brats!" the man stamped his foot, outraged by their mockery.

"Who?"

"The Crowned Prince of Crim-"

"You took that from the Joker!" X pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Seriously, where have I seen this guy before?" Robin added, stopping the now redder Toyman from replying.

"Toyman: Active D-class villain. Hometown: Metropolis. Last caught by Superman on the 14th December 2010 at eight thirty-two pm. Recently released from Belle Reve prison for good behavior," Superboy answered, mechanically. Everyone looked back at him in surprise, never having heard him make such a detailed contribution to a discussion before.

"He does that sometimes," Miss Martian explained.

"Oh yeah!" Artemis made a noise of recognition. "You're the lame-brain who led the Justice League to the Legion of Doom's hideout."

"Must have made you _really_ popular with your fellow members, huh D-class?" X chortled.

"Do not speak of it!" the Toyman shrieked. "And now you shall feel my wrath, you impudent pestilence!"

"Without the backtalk, D-class," X laughed again as the Toyman whipped out a remote control from his pocket and pushed a button. "What are you gonna do, cancel playti–?"

Her voice immediately dropped, as she felt the ground suddenly give a loud rumble. Each Team member looked up over the roofs of the skyscrapers ahead and many eyebrows shot up, taken aback, while their mouths snapped shut.

"You see the giant bouncy cowboy too, right?" X whispered to Robin and he nodded. The huge cowboy doll jumped on springy booted legs, hopping at the Team.

"_Link established, Aqualad," _Miss Martian's voice rang in their heads. Aqualad nodded.

"_Acknowledged. Team, proceed to takedown the robot."_

The cowboy gave an almighty bounce at the Team, wobbling furiously on his round bottom when he landed, giant arms flying and nearly hitting Kid Flash who dodged out of the way just in time. Robin attempted to stop it by frying its controls with an electric bird-a-rang, but they fell immediately to the ground upon contact, barely leaving a scratch on the cowboy's painted metal belly. Miss Martian flew up to find any weaknesses in the huge wobbling head while Artemis tried to take it down from behind, to no avail, with her sharp arrows. As with Robin's bird-a-rangs, they barely left a scratch. Next up was Superboy, who jumped up to an unbelievable height, putting as much force as he could into his fist, which came crashing down on the swaying giant's chest. It swung backwards on its round bottom forcefully, until coming back up and head-butting Miss Martian into a building, which collapsed to the ground. The mental link between everyone severed as Miss Martian landed fell, bits of the building blanketing her. Kid Flash, who was closest, proceeded to speedily dig through the pile of debris. Meanwhile, the Toyman cackled.

"Who's D-class now, children? Now, if you'll excuse me, my ride awaits."

Sure enough, a push of a button later, the Toyman sat atop a crimson-colored mechanical bull. He seemed slightly disappointed in his own deranged way that no one had stopped to appreciate the Western theme of his creations

"Robin, X, Artemis, get the Toyman," Aqualad shouted, dodging another swipe from the cowboy.

The three nodded, running at the red bull. What came next was a big shock. With another push of the remote control, the bull sprouted wing-shaped rocket boosters from its armored back, flying up into the sky. X suddenly chuckled.

"What?" Artemis asked.

"'_Red Bull Gives You Wings'_" she quoted, still smirking. "Geddit? 'Cause it's also an energy drink."

"Time and place, X" Robin told her firmly, as Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Well, excuse_ me_ for appreciating quality comedy!"

"We need that remote control if we want to stop Woody over there," Robin said, ignoring her and gesturing towards the cowboy.

"I'm on it," Artemis replied, shooting an arrow up at the bull. It exploded, letting out white sticky foam and knocking the Toyman off the bull's back. He shrieked as he fell, dropping the remote.

"No!" The three heroes shouted in unison, running in different directions to catch it.

"I got it!" They yelled together again, coming up to the same point, arms stretched out and standing in a small circle.

The remote came crashing to the ground… Three feet away from them… Crumbling to pieces upon contact. The teens looked at the remains of the controller then at each other, sheepishly, as the glued Toyman screamed, having landed on the ground in a cloud of foam, unharmed.

"Fools! There is no controlling them now!"

"Is it that bad?" X asked him.

"Worse," Robin answered, pointing up at the bull. The artificial life, spinning in mid-air and flying through an entire level of a glass building, demolishing it.

"Any ideas?" Artemis muttered.

"Yes!" X snapped her fingers with a flourish. "Leave the bull to me. You guys go help Aqualad and Superboy with the cowboy."

"Why? What are you gonna do?" Robin asked.

"Get some wings," she replied, leaving him and Artemis looking puzzled before deciding to oblige.

X charged up to Superboy who looked angrier than usual, fists clenched and about to fight the robot again.

"How's your aim?" she prompted, making him look at her, surprised.

"Okay, I guess, but Arte-"

"Follow up question. How's your throwing someone about my size at a giant flying bull?"

"Got it."Superboy picked X off the ground just as Aqualad was knocked into a building behind him.

"Robin! Artemis! Get Down!"

Without further warning, Superboy suddenly gave X a mighty fling at the mechanical bull. X flew at the machine and, behind her, Superboy was next to be knocked aside by the enormous cowboy.

The sticky foam-covered Toyman watched on in horror as he heard X's powerful battle cry accompanied by an "I can fly!" before his creation suddenly disappeared from the air in a cloud of smoke. X had landed on its back and appeared to have dismantled the rocket boosters.

The bull began its quick descent to the ground, X still on its back and plummeting down with it. She shut her eyes, realizing she had not thought her 'ingenious' plan completely through and now, cursing herself, readied for her supposedly imminent death.

It never came. X reopened her eyes and peeped down, only to see the bull's hooves levitating a few inches off the ground. She looked back up and sure enough saw Miss Martian, eyes glowing green and hand outstretched, holding up the robot. She was putting her improved skills to use as well as restoring the telepathic link.

"_I love you, Megan!" _X grinned and M'gann smiled back, setting the bull lightly down onto the ground just as the bottom of the tilting cowboy exploded.

The bits of metal flew; Artemis standing with a taut bow, smug that her idea of exploding arrows had worked. The Cowboy fell backwards with a crash, smashing his head and thus stopped retaliating completely.

X was about to hop off when the bull gave a sudden jolt. Slightly taken aback, she peered over at its face. The nostrils suddenly flared and steam came out, spraying her face. And with that, the bull began to kick and jump around in manic spasms, with a self-declared mission to throw X off, the girl left clinging onto the neck, shrieking.

"Get me off of this thing!" she shouted as the bull zoomed past Kid Flash and Robin.

The two boys looked at each other, unsure of what to do. KF ran up next to it but received a hoof to the stomach for his trouble. What eventually stopped the bull was an explosive bird-a-rang to the front. The robotic creation stumbled forward slightly, looking at Robin with an even fierier rage. It got back on its hooves quickly, not giving X enough time to get off. Still clinging to its neck, she knew what was coming.

"Oh. Crap." With a mighty jolt, she was thrown backwards off the bull, straight through the wall of a nearby building.

"X!" M'gann shouted. _"X!"_

The Team peered anxiously through the gaping hole in the wall, a couple of bricks still falling off the edges. _Superboy_ could take it. He was indestructible. Likewise could not be said for X. However, a dazed _"I'm okay"_ was heard in each of their heads as they gave relieved nods and continued to fight.

X slowly sat up from the rubble, coughing and rubbing the back of her head, amazed that she was only slightly scratched. As the dust cleared, she looked at her surroundings, pausing at the person who still remained seated on their wooden bench, which hung from the wall, totally unfazed by the sudden intrusion of a young masked girl through their wall. X raised an eyebrow, now realizing she had landed in a cell of the Gotham City Police Department.

"I can't believe you're still here," she told the muscular woman. The woman, in response, broke another piece of wood off the bench and splintered it in her fist as she had done once before.

"Grrrrrrrrr."

X ignored her, getting back up onto her feet, wobbling slightly. She stumbled over to the wall from which she entered the cell and peered out. The bull had been wrestled down to the ground by Aqualad and smashed to pieces – the work of Superboy, no doubt. But the fight was still not over. The Toyman had somehow managed to escape his sticky prison and was now emerging from the dust inside a 40-foot tin soldier. He had one last trick up his sleeve. X groaned, exasperated.

"Honestly, some people just don't know when to give up!" she told the woman but the same growl was her only response.

The Toyman was now cackling inside his creations hat, causing a giant mechanical fist to come crashing down onto the sidewalk in an attempt to crush Robin, who dodged out of the way. His voice rang in X's head.

"_A little help would be nice,"_ he grunted.

"_On my way."_

She got onto the edge of the hole, before turning back to her former cellmate, having remembered something.

"Listen, you don't mind sitting here and not escaping, do you?" she asked sweetly

"Grr-"

"Yeah, yeah. Grr. I know." X rolled her eyes, hopping out of the gaping hole in the wall with a small wave and joining her team into battle with the giant tin soldier.

• • • • •

Hero Watch Newsroom

Sunday, 3rd April 2011

15:00

"I am happy to announce the Justice League have successfully completed their mission of saving Taipei. Whoever predicted it was the Weather Wizard, you can give yourself a pat on the back. The criminal has now been stripped of all weaponry that enabled him his weather manipulation and is currently on his way to Belle Reve."

"In other news, the Toyman's own storm on the Gotham City Bank was stopped this afternoon by the League's young protégées. We go to the footage caught at the scene by our own Zoe Carter."

The image flicked to one of X immediately jumping out of the Gotham City PD building and running at the tin soldier's foot. Kid Flash ran around it while Superboy, Aqualad and Miss Martian hurled debris at it. These attacks were followed by Artemis, shooting exploding arrows up to the robot's face and blinding the controller with the light from the blasts. The offense worked perfectly, distracting the Toyman enough that he didn't notice X hop on to the Soldier and begin to shimmy up the leg, closely followed by Robin.

The camera zoomed, watching the two heroes approach the head. Before the Toyman noticed, Robin smashed the window and X threw in a smoke pellet. The bespectacled man began to cough, face turning red as suddenly the controls gave out a loud bang, the buttons fizzling out and bursts of electricity flooding the tin man's head. Robin grabbed the now unconscious Toyman and grappled them to a nearby building, out of the shot. X jumped off just as the head exploded. The tin soldier's body spun as with a final powerful punch to the chest from Superboy, it fell to the ground with a thundering crash.

The camera wobbled and shook as did Zoe Carter, clutching her microphone. As the cloud of dust cleared, Zoe immediately seized the chance to run up to the closest sidekick she could find.

"Arrowette! Arrowette! We're Sidekick Watch. How do you feel knowing you're Speedy's replacement?"

Artemis glared at her then at the camera, raising a hand aggressively to cover the lens.

"No comment," she replied icily, as she flipped the camera over, making it drop to the ground. The image went static. The shot then flicked back, the camera wobbling.

"You okay?" Zoe asked and the camera moved up and down, imitating a nod. She smiled and turned around.

"Ooh, look! There's the Boy Wonder," she said as they approached Robin with Aqualad and Superboy on the ground, and handcuffing the Toyman.

"Hey guys, can we have a statemen-"

"No comment," all three replied in unison, not even looking to the camera. The lens turned to Kid Flash in the distance, picking up the bull's head and mouthing something about a souvenir. The camera was again pushed over by a green-gloved hand – Artemis.

The image after was one of X who had leaned in close to the camera lens.

"X? Would you like to give a statement?"

Without saying a word, X snatched the microphone out of Zoe's hand, looking directly at the viewer. She cleared her throat after a long pause.

"I have never- I repeat- _never_ uttered that idiotic phrase: "X marks the spot"," she said firmly, handing back microphone to a now silent Zoe Carter. An awkward silence followed before the cameraman's voice came from the back of the lens.

"Uhm… You just did."

X's masked eye gave a twitch, her eyes widening as she realized he was right.

"Dammit!" she exclaimed, making both civilians jump.

"No comment!" Miss Martian told the reporter, floating in from the side and pushing the fuming X out of the shot sheepishly. Artemis had turned up again, arms folded.

"This interview is over," she said with a tone of finality as the image went static again. The audience was back to looking at the grinning Hugh Sloughman, who was now straightening and stacking the papers on his desk.

"And there you go. The Toyman was apprehended and is now on his way back to Belle Reve. Playtime is officially cancelled, for him at least."

• • • • •

Hall of Justice

Sunday, 3rd April 2011

16:34

The young heroes trudged back to the waiting room, muscles aching and heads pounding. None were in the mood for a lecture from Batman but all were sure it was inevitable.

Artemis, Superboy and Aqualad leaned heavily against the doorway as Miss Martian unwillingly dragged herself away from it to speak with her uncle. X and Robin immediately toppled onto the couch while Wally didn't even make it that far. He dropped himself onto the floor, releasing a series of whines, groans and other noises of complaint.

"I never want to see another toy again!" he announced, and immediately being answered by a chorus of groans in agreement.

"Seriously if I see another doll, I'll scream," Artemis affirmed his statement.

"I wouldn't go that far, Artemis." Megan reentered the living room, wearing a grave expression as she carried in a large cardboard box. "Look at what my Uncle J'onn just brought back from Taipei."

Everyone fell silent, looking at it curiously. Upon examining it closer though, their eyes dropped to the floor.

"They gave it to the League as a gift for saving the city," the Martian explained, almost guiltily.

"What is it?" X piped up until she caught sight of the sticker on the box side. 'Nattel Inc.' You could almost hear the sound of seven teen hearts drop apprehensively.

"Neptune give us strength," Kaldur breathed, greatening the sense of unease.

"We'll take each other's. It's fine. We'll never have to speak of this," Wally said in a failing attempt to reassure his friends though they all new the words were empty. Instead, Robin's words rang in each of their heads. The whole world would be in on this. They would never hear the end of it.

"Who's going first?" Artemis broke the silence as the box lay in the center of the coffee table, covered by everyone's wary gazes as though it carried The Bubonic Plague within its cardboard walls. All eyes turned to X who raised her hands up, defensively.

"Hey! Why me?!"

"You're the Girl Without Fear, aren't you?" Robin was quick to retort.

"Just because I'm not scared of it, doesn't mean I want to do it! _You_ open it, Wonder Boy!"

"Too late. All in favor of X opening the box?" To answer Robin, five hands shot up into the air. Robin looked around, smug, before turning back to X and lifting his own hand. She glared at him, muttering something about hating the world and how she was the victim in everything. She leaned in and opened the box. An air of tension hung over them as she took out seven wrapped prims from the box and then placed them onto the coffee table.

She stepped back, again muttering about keeping the bubble wrap the box contained.

"Okay. Everyone ready? On three, grab one." Robin said and everyone nodded, X popping a plastic bubble in agreement. "One. Two. Three!"

A struggle of hands, a couple of grunts and one ruined box later, everyone now held an action figure with a slightly less hysterical look, all relieved that they hadn't gotten themselves.

"I've got Miss M," KF called out first, winking at the M'gann. "She doesn't look_ that_ bad, babe."

"Kid Pervert, over here," Artemis announced, disgustedly. She twisted the handle on the doll's back, making his legs move up and down and making it seem almost as if he was trying to escape Artemis's clenched fist.

"Aqualad," X chuckled, squeezing the miniature Kaldur and making him squeak in protest.

"Artemis," Miss Martian twirled 'Arrowette's blonde horsehair ponytail not sure whether to say something or to just leave it.

"I got X," Robin laughed at the real one, pushing the all-dreaded button on the plastic girl's back and cackling all the more when the shrill voice emanated from the doll. "_X marks the spot" "X marks the spot" "X marks the spot" "X marks the spot"… _

The button was left to rest when X pounced on Robin with an angered yell and began to wrestle him for the doll.

"I have Superboy" Kaldur interjected in an attempt to distract both heroes from injuring one another further.

"And I got Robin," Superboy finished. X immediately halted, fist which had been made to connect with Robin's nose, left frozen in mid-air. Robin's own eyes widened but before he could take action, X had already leapt at Superboy with a cry of "Let's swap!"

She thrust the Aqualad doll in Superboy's hand, snatching the tiny Robin and waving him in the full-sized one's face, gaudy green panties shimmering in the light. Robin cringed, making X feel all the better about taking her revenge.

"And now the _piece de resistance_" she smiled evilly and pushed the button on his back.

"_Holy Molehill, Batman!"_

The high-pitched tinkle of the doll's voice had X gasping for air from such great bouts of hysterical laughter. Robin narrowed his eyes at her, slowly raising Mini X up. He lifted a finger, purposefully and gave the doll a slow but sure jab in the back.

"_X marks the spot!"_

"Bah!" X groaned and then with an air of frustrated rage, she jabbed the tiny Robin.

"_Holy Chutzpah, Batman!"_

Robin stabbed at the doll's back.

"_X marks the spot!"_

She retaliated.

"_Holy Impregnability, Batman!"_

"_X marks the spot!" _

This went on and on and after realizing that there was a chance this ordeal would never end the rest of the Team, slowly and silently, filed out of the room, leaving the two youngest members poking furiously at each other's dolls and growing all the more angry with every push.

"How long do you think this'll last?" Wally whispered to Kaldur as they walked down the hallway. They could still hear the shrill echo of "_X marks the spot!"_

"Soon, I think. After all, Kid, Nattel's batteries only last so long."

Kid Flash nodded as the final "_Holy Tintinnabulation, Batman!"_ sounded faintly from the wall.

"Well, that. And Robin and X's tempers," Kaldur corrected himself after Mini Robin's voice was followed by two very loud thuds against the wall. A long, low croak of "_X… Marks… The… Spot…" _indicated the end of the short-lived existences of both the gaudy Robin and the annoying X dolls.

**AN/ Surprisingly, the summer is even busier than the school year! I'm exhausted. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter – I figure, if it's almost twice the normal length, you won't hate me as much and maybe it will justify the lateness? Maybe? **

**Anyway, side-note: Artemis' identity should be more concealed in my story so after a little bit of digging, I found she was originally to be called Arrowette – it made me laugh so I decided to use it. Thanks for the reviews, favorites, alerts and lovely messages! Please, don't hesitate to continue with that ;) See you soon! **


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